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Cardiff City logo
Championship | Gameweek 44
Apr 20, 2024 at 3pm UK
Cardiff City Stadium
Southampton logo

Cardiff
2 - 1
Southampton

Diedhiou (68'), Ashford (90+6')
Phillips (82')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Aribo (12')
Armstrong (43'), Deen Sulemana (81'), Bednarek (90+1')

Preview: Cardiff City vs. Southampton - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Cardiff City and Southampton, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Southampton make the trip to Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon knowing that victory will keep them in the race for automatic promotion from the Championship.

At a time when the Saints occupy fourth spot in the standings, Cardiff are merely playing for pride with a playoff spot now mathematically impossible.


Match preview

Southampton manager Russell Martin after the match on April 1, 2024© Reuters

With each of the top three failing to win their previous games, Southampton supporters are becoming increasingly optimistic regarding automatic promotion.

At one stage, that became a distant dream courtesy of a run that featured just three wins in 10 games, but Russell Martin's side have since responded with three victories in succession.

A return to St Mary's has proven key as the Saints have posted triumphs over Coventry City, Watford and Preston North End respectively to move to within five points of leaders Ipswich Town.

The Tractor Boys and third-placed Leeds United have each played one game more than Southampton, and success on Saturday would keep Southampton's fate in their own hands with Leicester City and Leeds still to come on their schedule.

However, Southampton travel to South Wales having collected just seven points from their last five away fixtures, as well as failing to prevail in their most recent two such games.

From Cardiff's perspective, a solid campaign under Erol Bulut is ending on a frustrating note with promotion now out of the question.

Four defeats in six matches have put paid to that, with Cardiff now 12 points adrift of sixth position with just three fixtures remaining.

Bulut has witnessed his team lose successive home fixtures to Sunderland and Hull City respectively, making it nine defeats from their 21 games at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Last time out, Cardiff also suffered defeat on their travels, going down by a 3-1 scoreline to an improved Millwall outfit.

Cardiff City Championship form:

Southampton Championship form:


Team News

Cardiff City manager Erol Bulut on February 13, 2024© Reuters

Bulut will likely make a number of changes to his Cardiff XI, including potentially handing youngster Cian Ashford a first Championship start.

However, with Southampton a promotion contender, Bulut will still name a strong side, with David Turnbull, Ryan Wintle and Famara Diedhiou more likely to be recalled.

Callum O'Dowda and Aaron Ramsey are among a six-strong injury list for the home side.

Meanwhile, Martin may show preference to selecting the same Southampton starting lineup from the win over Preston having been able to rest players in the second half.

Will Smallbone and Joe Rothwell are alternatives in midfield, but goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has recently been ruled out for the rest of the season.


Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Horvath; Ng, Phillips, Goutas, Collins; Ralls, Wintle; Bowler, Colwill, Grant; Diedhiou

Southampton possible starting lineup:
McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning; Aribo, Downes, S. Armstrong; Brooks, Adams, A. Armstrong


SM words green background

We say: Cardiff City 1-2 Southampton

With the pressure off Cardiff, we expect the Bluebirds to throw caution to the wind in search of maximum points. Nevertheless, Southampton could still edge this contest, aware that they can ill-afford any dropped points.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.




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Game History

How you voted: Cardiff vs Southampton

Cardiff City
20.0%
Draw
10.0%
Southampton
70.0%
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5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4621121370472375
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7Hull City461913146860870
8Middlesbrough46209177162969
9Coventry CityCoventry4617131670591164
10Preston North EndPreston46189195667-1163
11Bristol City461711185351262
12Cardiff CityCardiff46195225370-1762
13Millwall461611194555-1059
14Swansea CitySwansea461512195965-657
15Watford461317166161056
16Sunderland46168225254-256
17Stoke CityStoke461511204960-1156
18Queens Park RangersQPR461511204758-1156
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn461411216074-1453
20Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds46158234468-2453
21Plymouth ArgylePlymouth461312215970-1151
RBirmingham CityBirmingham461311225065-1550
RHuddersfield TownHuddersfield46918194877-2945
RRotherham UnitedRotherham46512293789-5227


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