Cardiff could welcome back January signing Gary Madine at home to Middlesbrough.
Madine missed Tuesday's home win against former club Bolton after suffering a broken nose in the 1-1 draw at Millwall last week. Sol Bamba will return in defence with Lee Peltier dropping out after Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock admitted he rushed him back too early in midweek following injury.
Jazz Richards remains out for up to three weeks, while the Sky Bet Championship game could come too soon for Matt Connolly, Craig Bryson and Kadeem Harris to rejoin the squad.
"I think it'll be too soon for Gary Madine, but he’s training so I wouldn’t write him off," said Neil Warnock.
"The three lads who played yesterday for the Under-23s came through it, Craig Bryson, Kadeem Harris and Matt Connolly so that was pleasing.
"We had one or two niggles from Bolton but I don't expect it to affect selection."
Middlesbrough hope striker Rudy Gestede can shrug off a back problem to face his former club. Gestede would have sat out this game through suspension but for his recent red card at Norwich being overturned.
But he could now miss out through injury as manager Tony Pulis has confirmed he has missed a couple of days' training this week. Boro's other former Cardiff man, defender Fabio da Silva, is their only other concern as he recovers from a thigh injury.
Opta stats
Cardiff have lost three home league games at the Cardiff City Stadium against Middlesbrough - against no side have they lost more (also three against Hull and Newcastle).
None of the last 23 league meetings between these sides has ended as a draw (12 wins for Cardiff, 11 wins for Middlesbrough).
Neil Warnock has won all seven of his home league matches (including play-offs) against Middlesbrough - Cardiff could be the seventh different club with whom he has won home games against Boro (also Notts County, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, QPR, Leeds, Rotherham).
Tony Pulis and Warnock haven't faced since November 2011, when Warnock's QPR won 3-2 at Stoke in the Premier League.
Armand Traore, who scored in midweek, has been involved in two goals in two Championship appearances since joining Cardiff (one goal, one assist), as many as he registered for Nottm Forest in 30 games (two assists).
Middlesbrough have won three of their last four away league games, although they did lose last time out versus Norwich. Indeed, Boro had won just three of their previous 29 away contests.
Match officials
Referee: DARREN BOND
Assistants: Ian Cooper and Adam Matthews
Fourth Official: James Linington