Wolves v Cardiff City. Match preview

Last updated : 19 August 2017 By Michael Morris

The top two meet in the Championship today with both sides hoping to maintain their 100% records.

Sky preview:

Wolves could again be without Dave Edwards for the home clash with Cardiff.

Edwards missed Wanderers' 3-2 win at Hull in midweek due to an unspecified injury he sustained in training. Striker Nouha Dicko came off the bench to score at the KCOM Stadium and maintain Wolves' 100 per cent start to the season and he will hope to feature more prominently. Helder Costa (ankle), Phil Ofosu-Ayeh and Ben Marshall (hip) remain on the sidelines.

Joe Bennett will not be in the Cardiff squad despite committing his future to the Bluebirds. Bennett sat out Tuesday's 2-0 victory over Sheffield United after speaking to Fulham about a possible move, but he has decided to stay at Cardiff and will rejoin the squad after the trip to Molineux.

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Lee Peltier will return at wing-back should Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock opt to change his formation and play three central defenders. New signing Omar Bogle may not be involved as the striker has had little time to integrate with his new team-mates following his move from Wigan on Thursday.

Opta stats

Wolves' 3-1 win over Cardiff in April 2017 ended a three-match losing streak in the league - their longest ever losing run against the Bluebirds.

Cardiff have failed to keep a clean sheet in 19 of their last 20 league visits to Molineux.

Wolves have won four consecutive league games for the second time in 2017 - they also won five in a row back in April in which they beat Cardiff in the process.

Cardiff have kept a clean sheet in each of their first three Championship games; Middlesbrough are the last side to keep a shut out in their first four games in the competition in 2009-10.

This is Neil Warnock's best start to a league campaign since 2010-11, in which he guided QPR to the Championship title - he's never won the opening four games to a league season.

Wolves haven't won their first four league games to a season since 1998-99 while in the second tier.

Neil Warnock:

We’re all looking forward to it.

“I think it will be a good game and it’s a fabulous crowd - Molineux is a great stadium to get an atmosphere. The Wolves fans are all behind the team.

“It’s a massive challenge for us to go up against some of the best players in the division, with the quality that they’ve got and the money that they’ve spent - but I don’t envy that.

“We’re just really about ourselves. We’re happy with what we’ve got. We’ve gone about it slightly differently, but I imagine that our lads are quietly looking forward to it.

“Let’s go enjoy it and test ourselves!”

Nuno Espirito Santo:

"I expect a tough game against a good team and an experienced manager. Neil Warnock is very experienced and Cardiff are playing well.

"We’ve analysed it and we’re ready to go. For both teams it’s a good challenge.

"Aggressive, fast, long balls, we’re ready for it.

"We’re at home and the home factor for us is very important. Molineux must be a pack. We know how much it means to us after two good results to come back to Molineux.

Match officials:

Referee: Scott Duncan
Assistants: Philip Dermott and Daniel Robathan
Fourth official: Peter Wright