It has been a while since Cardiff City have kicked a ball in anger (17 days) due to the Derby mess and the international break. Now it is the countdown to the end of the season and whatever it holds for the Bluebirds with only nine games left of the official season. Five of those games are away and four at home of course if Cardiff were to find themselves in the Play-offs the season will not be over but I hope that doesn’t happen.
Cardiff are second in the league in an automatic promotion spot seven points ahead of Fulham and Aston Villa and six points behind leaders Wolves with a game in hand. Cardiff are on a bounce of seven wins on a row and take on relegation threaten Burton Albion tomorrow at the Cardiff City Stadium kick-off 3pm.
It should be an easy win but if there is one thing I have learnt is to take nothing for granted in football with Burton like Cardiff having plenty to play for at different ends of the league table.
We have played Burton twice this season already in the EFL Cup second round where they beat Cardiff at the Cardiff City stadium 2-1. A few weeks earlier, the Welshman travelled to Burton for the opening league game of the season and won 1-0 with a late, late Zohore goal.
TomorrowNorwich v FulhamMiddlesbrough v WolvesSaturdayHull City v Aston Villa
The international break saw Aron Gunnarsson have a 45-minute run out for Iceland against Mexico in California after being out since November recovering from ankle surgery. He should return to the match day squad but will boss Neil Warnock risk starting him or place him on the bench. Loan forward Jamie Ward have returned to action for Northern Ireland during the international break playing 62 minutes in Northern Ireland’s impressive 2-1 win over South Korea. Could he be in line for a return to the match day squad?
Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge made the long trip from Manila Philippines where he helped them qualify for the Asian Cup for the first time in their history with a 2-1 win over Tajikistan on Tuesday. It will mean he will now be taking part in the Asian Cup in January next year meaning he will be unavailable for Cardiff.
Craig Bryson could find himself in with a shout of starting, with Loic Damour the man most likely to make way. Joe Ralls (hamstring) remains out and Jazz Richards (ankle) has had a setback in training which will rule him out for another two to three weeks.
March 30th Burton Albion (home)April 2nd Sheffield United (away) selected for Sky Sports coverageApril 6th Wolves (home) selected for Sky Sports coverageApril 10th Aston Villa (away) selected for Sky Sports coverageApril 14th Norwich (away)April 21st Nottingham Forest (home) selected for Sky Sports coverage note kick-off Saturday 7:45pmApril 24th Derby County (away)April 28th Hull City (away)May 6th Reading (home)
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