Cardiff City v Ipswich Town. Match preview

Last updated : 18 March 2017 By Michael Morris


C:WindowsTempphpC9B6.tmpCardiff hope to include Bruno Manga for the first time since the start of January when they take on Ipswich.

The Gabon defender suffered knee ligament damage at the Africa Cup of Nations and could make the bench after stepping up his recovery.

Striker Rickie Lambert remains out with a back problem and Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock says Cardiff are "thin on the ground" after picking up a few injuries in training this week.

Lee Peltier, Rhys Healey and Matthew Connolly are long-term absentees.

Ipswich have doubts over forward Kieffer Moore (groin) and midfielder Kevin Bru (knee).

On-loan Cardiff midfielder Emyr Huws is not eligible to face his parent club and has been sidelined by a hamstring injury, while Teddy Bishop has been carrying a groin problem.

Luke Hyam faces up to six weeks of recovery after the midfielder suffered ankle ligament damage in training, but on-loan Crystal Palace midfielder Jonny Williams should be available after his recent hamstring problem.

Defender Steven Taylor (hamstring) and on-loan Reading striker Dominic Samuel (broken toe) continue to step up their recoveries. Centre-half Adam Webster is out following ankle surgery and Giles Coke (knee) is a long-term absentee, with the midfielder set to be released in the summer.

 

Match Officials:

Referee: JAMES LININGTON 
Assistants: Mark Russell and Steven Meredith 
Fourth Official: Adam Matthews 

 

Match facts

  • Cardiff City have lost only one of their last seven league games against Ipswich Town, winning three and drawing three
  • Ipswich haven't won on their last four trips to Cardiff; they enjoyed three consecutive victories between 2009 and 2011 prior to that
  • Kenneth Zohore has had a hand in eight goals in his last nine Championship games for Cardiff, scoring seven
  • Ipswich's Tom Lawrence has been involved in ten goals in his last 12 matches; the club has only scored 13 in all in those games
  • Town are unbeaten in their last eight Championship games, but have drawn seven of those
  • Cardiff average 1.54 points per game this season under Neil Warnock (40 points in 26 games) compared to 0.73 before his arrival (Eight points in 11)