Cardiff City will welcome Sheffield Wednesday to South Wales on Saturday for an important game in the battles at both ends of the Championship table.
On their return from the international break, the visitors sit 12th and trail the playoff places by six points, while their hosts sit just one point above the relegation zone.
Match preview
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Cardiff City return to action for the final stretch of the Championship season aiming to give their survival hopes a major boost, having kept themselves above the drop zone with an important victory before the recent international break.
The Bluebirds have endured a tough campaign thus far, earning just 39 points from their 38 games having won nine of those and lost 17.
After moving out of the bottom three with a seven-match unbeaten streak between late December and late January, Omer Riza's side remained in danger as their next eight outings produced just one more win and two draws, conceding 17 goals in that span while only scoring seven.
That rut culminated in three straight defeats in early March, but the Welsh outfit managed to make a crucial return to winning ways last time out, travelling to playoff-chasing Blackburn Rovers and picking up a 2-1 triumph thanks to goals from Yousef Salech and Yakou Meite.
Now returning from the final break of the season with just a one-point lead over 22nd-placed Derby County, Cardiff City will aim to make it back-to-back wins to build a lead over the drop zone heading into the final run-in.
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Their visitors, meanwhile, make the trip on Saturday aiming to keep their slim playoff hopes alive with a return to winning ways.
Sheffield Wednesday have enjoyed an improved campaign under the management of Danny Rohl, earning 51 points from their 38 outings thus far, but their top-six bid took a hit in a tricky run before the recent international break.
In their last six outings since mid-February, the Owls have suffered four defeats, with their only points coming from consecutive away victories over Plymouth Argyle and Norwich City after three straight losses, seeing them move onto 29 points from 19 away trips, a tally only topped by three sides in England's second tier.
Rohl's men then hosted city rivals Sheffield United in mid-March and failed to narrow their gap to sixth spot, as Rhian Brewster netted the only goal for their visitors after the hour mark.
Now sitting 12th and trailing the playoff spots by six points with eight games remaining, Sheffield Wednesday will aim to record a third straight away victory on Saturday knowing a winning run is their only chance of a top-six finish.
Team News
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Cardiff City will remain without goalkeeper Jak Alnwick, midfielder Aaron Ramsey and winger Ollie Tanner due to ongoing injury issues, while key midfielder Joe Ralls may not be deemed fit to start, having been assessed during the international break after picking up an issue in their win over Blackburn Rovers.
If he is not able to feature from the outset, David Turnbull may come in to join Calum Chambers and Sivert Mannsverk in the middle of their 3-5-2 setup, with Callum O'Dowda and Andy Rinomhota continuing in wing-back roles and Perry Ng, Will Fish and Joel Bagan bound to line up in an unaltered back three.
The Bluebirds should also be unaltered in attack after their win last time out, with Yousef Salech having scored five goals in 12 league appearances since his January arrival and Callum Robinson leading the squad with 12 Championship goals this term.
Sheffield Wednesday are also affected by several injuries, with defenders Di'Shon Bernard, Akin Famewo and Yan Valery remaining sidelined alongside midfielder Stuart Armstrong.
Max Lowe was also forced off with an injury in their defeat to Sheffield United last time out, and if he misses out on Saturday, Dominic Iorfa could shift across to join Michael Ihiekwe at the heart of a back four with Pol Valentin likely coming in on the right-hand side.
Key men Barry Bannan and Shea Charles should continue their midfield partnership, while Anthony Musaba and Jamal Lowe will compete for attacking spots after Michael Smith and Callum Paterson got the nod for the Steel City Derby alongside danger men Josh Windass and Djeidi Gassama.
Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Horvath; Ng, Fish, Bagan; Rinomhota, Turnbull, Chambers, Mannsverk, O'Dowda; Robinson, Salech
Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Beadle; Valentin, Iorfa, Ihiekwe, Hatsuse; Charles, Bannan; Gassama, Windass, Musaba; Paterson
We say: Cardiff City 1-2 Sheffield Wednesday
Cardiff City did record a confidence-boosting win before the break in their survival bid, but they meet a Sheffield Wednesday side who have impressed on the road this term, and we back the visitors to keep their slim playoff hopes alive with a third straight away win when they visit South Wales.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Sam Varley
