Cardiff City v Wolves. Match preview

Last updated : 06 April 2018 By Michael Morris

C:WindowsTempphpBD6A.tmpCardiff have the chance to close the gap on leaders Wolves to three points tonight at CCS in one of the biggest games the team has faced for a long time.

City start the day in second place six points behind the leaders and five points ahead of 3rd placed Fulham. It's the first game of a West Midlands double header with City gong to 4th placed Villa on Tuesday.

The game this evening at will see a record crowd for a Cardiff City game at CCS and the biggest in south Wales since Cardiff faced Hereford at Ninian Park in 1976 in front of over 35,000.

Victory would put pressure back on Fulham, who face Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow at Hillsborough, and Villa who are away at Norwich. A Wolves win would just about wrap up their promotion.

Joe Ralls and Matt Connolly could feature for Cardiff in the top-of-the-table Sky Bet Championship clash with Wolves on Friday night.

Midfielder Ralls hasn't played since February due to a hamstring injury, while Connolly has been out for a month and is edging closer to full fitness. Jazz Richards and Danny Ward remain sidelined.

Ruben Neves and Matt Doherty both return from their one-game bans and should come back into the line-up after Wolves drew 2-2 with Hull on Tuesday night.

Nuno could make some other changes to his side but otherwise has no fresh injury concerns.

Opta stats

Cardiff have won four of their last five Championship meetings with Wolves (L1), including the last two at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Wolves have kept one clean sheet in their last 12 away matches at Cardiff in all competitions (W3 D3 L6), a 1-0 win in February 2015.

Wolves have scored the first goal in 28 league games this season, winning 25 of those games (D3) - both league-highs.

Cardiff have won 10 and lost none of their last 13 league games. They've also won each of their last seven home league games - they last won eight in a row back in December 2012 (10), a season in which they won the Championship.

Kenneth Zohore has had a hand in six goals in his last seven league games (four goals, two assists), after assisting just one goal and scoring none in his previous eight.

No Championship player has provided more assists this season than Wolves' defender Barry Douglas (14). It's the most assists by a Wolves player in a Championship campaign since Michael Kightly delivered 18 in 2008-09.

Match officials

Referee: MICHAEL DEAN
Assistants: Ian Hussin and Daniel Robathan
Fourth Official: James Linington