Cardiff City v Manchester United. Match preview

Last updated : 22 December 2018 By Michael Morris

All the eyes of the footballing world will be on Cardiff City Stadium this evening as the Bluebirds welcome Manchester United to south Wales.

Cardiff defender Joe Bennett is doubtful after being forced off in the second half of the 3-2 Premier League defeat at Watford last weekend and has not trained this week.

Lee Peltier and Greg Cunningham are on standby to deputise, while Jazz Richards will be checked after a recent hamstring problem.

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As for the visitors Alexis Sanchez is out for the trip to south Wales, while Chris Smalling pulled up injured in the warm-up at Liverpool last weekend so is a doubt and Luke Shaw will be hoping to return to the fold. Meanwhile, Marcos Rojo missed the loss at Anfield, as did Matteo Darmian and Scott McTominay.

United are also set to be without Romelu Lukaku, who has reportedly been given compassionate leave.


Opta stats

  • Cardiff have won only one of their last 12 league matches against Manchester United (D3 L8), winning 3-0 in November 1960
  • United are unbeaten in each of their previous seven matches against Cardiff in league competition (W5 D2)
  • Only Arsenal (12) have won more points from losing positions in the Premier League this season than Cardiff and United (9, level with Leicester)
  • Cardiff have won four of their last five Premier League home games (L1), as many as they had in their previous 22 in the competition (W4 D6 L12)
  • United have lost their last three Premier League away games against promoted sides, as many as they had in their previous 36 such matches (W27 D6 L3)
  • United have conceded more goals in 17 Premier League games this season (29) than they did in the whole of 2017-18 (28). Only Fulham (0) have kept fewer clean sheets than the Red Devils this season (2)


Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistants: Simon Bennett, Mick McDonough
Fourth official: Roger East