Cardiff v Brighton. Match preview

Last updated : 19 February 2013 By Sporting Life

The centre-half has missed the last three matches with a hamstring injury but has returned to training and will be assessed prior to kick-off.

Midfielder Andy Crofts will miss out again with a hamstring problem but the Seagulls hope he will resume training later this week ahead of Saturday's visit of Burnley.

Ashley Barnes completes a three-match ban and fellow striker Will Hoskins faces a spell out after suffering a knee injury in the 1-1 draw with Blackburn last Tuesday night.

Craig Mackail-Smith is pushing for a recall in attack alongside January signing Leonardo Ulloa after dropping to the bench against Rovers.

Cardiff centre-back Ben Turner looks set for a return to the line-up.The former Coventry defender, 25, has missed the last two games for the Bluebirds, against Huddersfield and Bristol City, with an ankle injury.

He looks likely to replace young defender Ben Nugent who picked up a dead leg in Saturday's victory over the Robins.

Manager Malky Mackay has no other injury concerns as Cardiff look to extend their 11-point lead over third-place Watford.

Winger Craig Noone returned to the side for the first time in a month against Bristol City and he is expected to continue in the starting line-up when his former club arrive in South Wales.

And despite his side's comfortable position at the top of the table, Mackay knows Cardiff cannot get carried away.

He said: "It is a relentless and unforgiving league and one that will constantly bite you if you don't approach it in a respectful and correct manner.

"It is about us making sure we go out there and do our jobs. I talk to them about being business-like. They know exactly what they have to do."

http://www.sportinglife.com