The beginning of the busy Christmas period for Cardiff City and later today the visitors will be troubled Manchester United who just days ago parted company with Jose Mourinho only to bring in (former Cardiff City boss ) Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Some history I was not in favour of Solskjaer coming to Cardiff I felt he got the job based solely on his connections with Manchester United no way to get a job. He was manager of Norwegian club Molde, and doing well in a small pond until Cardiff came a calling he jumped at the chance to join Cardiff then in the Premier League.
He joined the Welshman on 2 January 2014, departing on 18 September 2014 after a poor start of the Championship campaign after presiding over Cardiff’s relegation. He when back to Molde, where I believed he should had stayed. He is only a caretaker boss until the end of the season but eyeing the job full time, we will see.
Not the best time to play this Manchester team after getting Mourinho the sack, its widely reported player power was to blame for the club decision so they will be looking to make a point without Mourinho but Cardiff boss Warnock is unconcerned believing his team at home are unpredictable.
The last time both teams faced off was in the Premier League at home with the November game ending 2-2 with Cardiff securing a point with an injury time goal. In the reverse game in January with Solskjaer now manager we lost 2-0, his third straight league defeat.
Cardiff left-back Joe Bennett has not trained this week because of a hip problem picked up at Watford last weekend and is doubtful for this game. Lee Peltier and Greg Cunningham are on standby to deputise, while Jazz Richards will be checked after a recent hamstring problem.
A couple of unnamed players are also nursing "little niggles", according to manager Neil Warnock.
On the prediction front little changes Mark Lawrenson and his guest boxer Dillian Whyte both go for the away win Lawrenson says: "Straightaway we will see a very different United performance because the players who had fallen out with Jose Mourinho will know the spotlight is on them, and they have got to perform.” Mr Marmite Robbie Savage! Need I say anything other than he expects the three points heading out of Wales.
Looking at the season so far in his Daily Mirror column he gave Cardiff a B+ saying,
“Neil Warnock has already embarrassed ‘experts’ who predicted Cardiff would be relegated with a record low number of points. They are fighting hard, as the boss promised and if Junior Hoilett keeps producing moments of magic, the Bluebirds will dare to dream of staying up. I’d love to see them survive.”
I am beginning to warm to Mr Marmite and with a 5.30pm kick-off and a sell out crowd turn to BT sport the game is live.
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