Afternoon folks! There's 10 games kicking off at 3pm in the Championship today and here we're focussing on the Welsh capital as Cardiff City host Derby County. Team news coming right up...

CARDIFF XI: Moore; Peltier, Morrison, Connolly, Malone; Whittingham, O'Keefe, Gunnarsson; Noone, Harris; Revell
Subs: Fabio, Manga, Jones, Macheda, Adeyemi, Ralls, Wilson

DERBY XI: Grant; Shotton, Buxton, Keogh, Forsyth; Mascarell, Hendrick, Hughes; Ward, Martin, Dawkins
Subs: Roos, Christie, Bryson, Bennett, Calero, Warnock, Bent

Hosts Cardiff have three changes to the side that were beaten 2-1 by Reading in the FA Cup fourth round last weekend. Lee Peltier and Stuart O'Keefe make their debuts, replacing Fabio da Silva and Kenwyne Jones, while Matthew Connolly comes in for injured Ben Turner in central defence.

Derby, meanwhile, are unchanged from the midweek win over Blackburn Rovers. Darren Bent scored both goals after coming off the bench, but he isn't rewarded with a start.

"We think that Cardiff will set up with a diamond in midfield and we feel as though keeping with our own shape will overpower what they will try and do," says Derby first-team coach Paul Simpson.

PRE MATCH: #DCFC's players take in the surroundings at @CardiffCityFC ahead of their warm-up (kick-off: 3pm) pic.twitter.com/Bz5Fym6GUU — Derby County (@dcfcofficial) January 31, 2015

Cardiff will hope that the additions of Peltier and O'Keefe and a change of shape can put an end to their recent poor form. Russell Slade's men have lost three in a row in all competitions and also have a league-low five clean sheets. It will be a tough ask today to keep Derby out.

Derby, meanwhile, have won six of their last seven games and a seventh in eight today would take them back level on points with league leaders Bournemouth, who went clear at the summit with a 2-0 win over Watford last night.

In fact, Derby are now third in the table as Middlesbrough beat Brentford 1-0 in another top-six battle earlier today in one of two lunchtime kickoffs. Plenty of pressure on Steve McClaren's side following wins for Bournemouth and Boro.

Cardiff are unbeaten in seven games against Derby County, with the last three meetings ending as draws. The reverse fixture saw the Bluebirds and the Rams share four goals as Derby came back from 2-0 down at the iPro Stadium.

Watch below as I preview this match on the Sports Mole Sofa.

So Derby's task is clear, win and they're back in the top two. Cardiff, though, are actually nearer to the relegation zone than the playoffs in 13th place. They're not looking over their shoulders quite yet, but a fourth straight loss today could mean that they're even nearer the bottom three.

PREDICTION: As you'll see in the below video, I've gone for exactly the same result again between these two - a 2-2 draw.

As for you guys on the pre-game readers' poll, over three-quarters of you think it will be an away win with 75.2% going for a Derby triumph. Just 13.3% are backing Cardiff, with 11.4% joining me on the draw.

VINE: Here come the teams at the Cardiff City Stadium #CCFCvDCFC #dcfcfans https://t.co/wLw8UtyaZn

— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) January 31, 2015

KICKOFF! Cardiff, recently back in their traditional blue kit, get us underway in the Welsh capital. Can they cause a shock and end their recent slide?

Very little in the early stages at the Cardiff City Stadium, but we already have goals in the Premier League and Championship. Everton take an early lead at Crystal Palace through Romelu Lukaku, while Wolves go in front at Bolton through Nouha Dicko. Keep this page open for all the scores.

Derby look a little threatening as Dawkins sends in a low cross, but there's no fellow white shirt in there to go for the ball.

Derby are seeing plenty of the ball in the early stages. They look to create something on the counter-attack through Ward, but his path is blocked.

Down the other end young winger Harris tries to create something for Cardiff down the left. He digs out a cross but it's easy for Grant to claim.

Moore with a fine low save to his right after referee Paul Tierney had decided that Martin was fouled in the box. It was a very debatable decision and Cardiff will feel that justice has been done.

That decision and subsequent miss has really got the home fans fired up at the Cardiff City Stadium. They win a corner, but it comes to nothing.

Noone with a driving run infield from the right flank and he manages to get a shot off, but it's blocked and eventually cleared by Buxton in the Derby box. Will Derby live to regret that penalty miss?

Almost a dodgy moment for Derby keeper Grant as Revell's shot takes a wicked deflection and crazy bounce, but he watches the ball well.

Looking at the replays of the penalty decision, you have to say that it was harsh on Gunnarsson to award a penalty as he seemed to get some of the ball when challenging Martin in the box. It was a 50-50 as both men went for it, but Tierney felt that Gunnarsson was a little too strong in his efforts.

If Derby don't win today, they could drop to fourth in the table if Ipswich overcome lowly Wigan at Portman Road. It's still 0-0 in Suffolk and I'll bring you any updates from that game.

The Rams take the lead and it's a little lucky as Ward's cross-cum-shot across goal takes a nick off Malone before nestling in the far corner. It definitely wasn't on target, so will go down as an own goal. To be fair to Derby, it was lovely football to work the ball out to Ward on the right of the area.

Derby have certainly edged the first quarter of the game and you have to say that the goal felt like it was coming. Obviously they missed the best chance of the early stages with the penalty, but they were the side who looked more threatening even after that.

Cardiff win a free kick out on the right and it's whipped into a dangerous area by Whittingham, but the Cardiff players don't read the flight of the ball and it's easy for Derby to clear. As things stand, Derby will be joining Bournemouth at the top of the table on 54 points.

Darren Bent has scored three goals in his last two games for Derby, but it doesn't look like the Rams will need his impact from the bench today.

SAVE! Grant is tested for the first time by Cardiff as the home side win the ball back in midfield. Whittingham feeds Revell and he looks to surprise the Derby keeper with a quick shot from 20 yards that Grant saves fairly comfortably.

Shotton tries to create down the Derby right, but he's not the most attack-minded full-back. It's surprising that in recent games he's moved ahead of Cyrus Christie in the right-back pecking order.

Worrying signs for Derby as Buxton falls to the floor after seemingly pulling his hamstring. There wasn't another player within five yards of him and you wonder if that's enough to end his afternoon.

Buxton returns to the field of play, but he's not moving all that freely. Will Cardiff try to exploit that?

Peltier does really well to get the better of Dawkins down the right and his cross into the middle is a dangerous one that Shotton flicks away. Buxton still really struggling. Surely he has to come off?

DERBY SUB: Derby are flagged offside, so there's now time for them to make the change. It's Buxton off, Christie on, which will see Shotton move across to centre-back.

You do wonder if Buxton staying on the field for that extra three or four minutes could have made the injury worse. We'll have to see what the club say in the coming days.

Amazingly, Derby's only shot at goal was the penalty that Martin saw saved. Their goal came from a cross by Ward that was inadvertently prodded into his own net by Malone. Still, the Rams look pretty comfortable.

TWO minutes added on at the end of the first half.

Peltier has looked quite bright on his debut, but he's currently down injured receiving treatment. Should be OK to carry on I think.

Derby double their lead just before the interval as Martin gets up really well to head home Christie's cross at the back post. That'll make him feel so much better after missing the early penalty. Goal number 16 in the league for the Scot this season.

BOOKING! Derby youngster Hughes is the first name in the book after a late tackle on Peltier.

It's Derby who lead by two goals at the break then. There wasn't much to talk about in that half apart from their two goals and a missed penalty.

In fact, Derby have had just two shots on target and one of those - Martin's saved penalty - wasn't even a goal. Malone was unlucky to see his attempted block result in an own goal, but it's a huge mountain for Cardiff to climb now with Derby two goals to the good.

MATCH ACTION: #DCFC opened the scoring after Jamie Ward's cross was turned into the back of the @CardiffCityFC net pic.twitter.com/9oggVnxRrq — Derby County (@dcfcofficial) January 31, 2015

As things stand in the Championship, Derby will be returning to second place in the table while Cardiff are set to drop a place to 14th. More good news for Derby fans: promotion rivals Ipswich are being held at home by relegation-threatened Wigan.

Cardiff's only real chance came when Revell's snapshot from 20 yards was dealt with fairly comfortably by Grant. There really has been little else of note in the opening period.

A positive for Cardiff fans? They were 2-0 up at Derby in the reverse and the Rams came back to salvage a point. Maybe they can do the same today? Kenwyne Jones and Federico Macheda are on the bench and surely it won't be long before either, or both, are introduced.

The two teams are back out for the second half and there's no changes from either manager at the break. Slade must want a quick reaction from the XI on the field or he'll change it soon, surely?

KICKOFF! We're back underway at the Cardiff City Stadium. A reminder that Derby have been forced into one change, with Buxton coming off injured and replaced by Christie.

Break in play as Noone stays down with what appears to be a facial injury. That's the only moment of note so far in the second half.

I said that Cardiff needed a strong start to the second half, but so far Derby continue to frustrate them. Slade must be thinking about bringing on Jones, who has six goals in eight games.

Noone picks out Revell with a floated crossfield ball and eventually Cardiff win a corner. Much better from the home side.

Whittingham's corner is a vicious one and it almost results in a goal as Connolly just misses it and the ball seems to hit Christie before Grant collects about two yards out.

BOOKING! First Cardiff player into the book as Gunnarsson hacks down Hughes, the one Derby player to be yellow-carded.

DERBY SUB: The visitors make their second change, with Dawkins trudging off to be replaced by youngster Mason Bennett.

BOOKING! The first thing Bennett does is get booked after a rash challenge on Peltier, who has been on the end of some bad tackles on his Cardiff debut.

Whittingham whips over the free kick and Derby comfortably deal with the danger. The Rams look ever so comfortable at the moment.

CARDIFF SUB: As expected, Jones is the first Cardiff change as he takes the place of Gunnarsson. That'll see the hosts change to a more attacking, 4-4-2 formation.

SAVE! Fine stop by Grant as he acrobatically tips over Jones's header. The Trinidadian was so close to making an instant impact.

SAVE! Fine stop by Grant as he acrobatically tips over Jones's header. The Trinidadian was so close to making an instant impact.

CHANCE! Jones almost scored within a couple of minutes of coming on and Bennett follows him in going close not long after being introduced. The Derby sub ran onto Forsyth's pass but couldn't beat the sprawling Moore from close range.

Excellent defending by Derby skipper Keogh as he flings himself in front of Revell's shot and takes the sting out of it, making it easy for Grant in goal.

CARDIFF SUB: Slade's second change is an odd one as Harris is replaced by full-back Fabio. Another change of formation?

BOOKING! Hughes gets another Cardiff player booked as Connolly chops him down in the middle.

Derby will surely have chances on the counter-attack as Cardiff get more desperate and they should have a good one as Martin has Bennett arriving on his right, but the former overhits his through-ball.

DERBY SUB: McClaren makes his third and final change as Ward, whose cross resulted in the first goal, comes off for Craig Bryson.

CARDIFF SUB: O'Keefe's Cardiff debut comes to an end as he is replaced by Tom Adeyemi. Cardiff need something, and fast.

You'll be pleased to hear, Derby fans, that Ipswich are still being held by Wigan at Portman Road, where snow has been falling for most of the match. Are Bournemouth, Derby and Boro going to turn this into a three-horse race for automatic promotion?

Considering Derby had their first-choice centre-back pairing broken up in the first half, Cardiff haven't done anywhere near enough to test Shotton and Keogh in the second half. So disappointing given how good Revell and Jones usually are in the air.

Today's attendance at the Cardiff City Stadium is 22,287, with 2,125 from Derby. However, a lot of the home fans have left already.

Whittingham with another delivery into the middle. Cardiff have had plenty of second-half set pieces but this, like the others, doesn't bring about a goal as Jones's header is easily claimed by Grant. Has he had an easier afternoon all season?

FOUR minutes added on and I think most of the Cardiff players just want this to be over now.

BOOKING! Fabio brings down Mascarell and he joins two other Cardiff players in the book.

Derby cruising in the Welsh capital and the good news for their fans is that Ipswich have been held to a goalless draw by struggling Wigan.

Goals in the first half from Malone (OG) and Martin hand Derby their seventh win in eight games.

Although Derby only had three shots all game, they were ever so comfortable and most of Cardiff's attempts - they had nine - were barely half-chances. Jones was introduced and had an impact, but his header shortly after coming on was saved by Grant. That could have sparked a comeback, but it wasn't to be. Plenty of boos from the home fans at the full-time whistle.

Click here to see how the table looks after matchday 28. Derby reclaim second place after being leapfrogged by Boro earlier. They are level on points, but four goals behind Bournemouth in the standings. Cardiff stay 13th.

The worrying thing for Cardiff is that some of the sides below them have picked up wins today and the gap back to the bottom three is just seven points!

Righty ho, that's us done on this commentary. Thanks for joining SM this afternoon. It wasn't the best game, but Derby proved too strong, seeing out a 2-0 win for their seventh win in eight games. McClaren's men look good.

Before I go, here's our live text coverage of the big game in the Premier League between top two Chelsea and Man City.