Both looking for a major boost to their survival hopes, Cardiff City and Hull City will clash at the Cardiff City Stadium in the Championship on Tuesday night.
The Bluebirds recorded a share of the spoils at Plymouth Argyle last time out, whilst the Tigers managed a much-needed success over Sunderland in the North-East.
Match preview
© Imago
After a respectable 12th-placed finish under the tutelage of head coach Erol Bulut last season, Cardiff City have returned to the stresses and strains of a Championship relegation battle this time around, with the South Wales outfit aiming to avoid a bottom-three finish.
Scoring his third goal since moving to the Bluebirds during the winter transfer window, Yousef Salech gave his side the lead at fellow strugglers Plymouth on the weekend, but the second-half dismissal of Dimitrios Goutas changed the course of the contest, with the Pilgrims eventually finding an equaliser.
Winless across their last four second-tier matches and collecting just two points in the process, Cardiff are currently occupying a lowly 21st position in the Championship standings ahead of this week's hosting of Hull, three points above the dreaded bottom-three spots.
Earning 21 points from 16 Championship battles at their South Wales base so far, only Tuesday's visitors Hull (13) have won fewer points on their own patch than the Bluebirds this term, although both of Cardiff's most recent wins in the division have arrived at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Whilst his side battle to avoid an unthinkable relegation to League One, Callum Robinson is enjoying a potentially record-breaking campaign on an individual note, with the 11-strike forward just one goal away from matching his best-ever goalscoring season (12 Championship goals for Preston North End in 2018-19).
© Imago
Three points away from reaching the playoffs under the stewardship of Liam Rosenior last season, Hull City are now battling for a more humble achievement during the final third of this Championship campaign, with the ill-fated reign of Tim Walter leaving the Humberside club in a relegation scrap.
Arriving from cash-strapped Reading as a replacement for the unpopular German in December, Ruben Selles is looking to steady the ship at the MKM Stadium, where the Tigers have tasted success on just two occasions across 17 second-tier matches this term, meaning that they possess the poorest home record in the division.
Hull rank eighth in the division in terms of away results and produced another standout performance on the road on the weekend, when a first-half own goal from Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson was enough to seal all three points for the visitors at the Stadium of Light.
After halting their three-game winless run last time out in sensational style in the North-East, the Tigers are now up to 20th spot in the Championship rankings but are just three points ahead of Plymouth in the highest of the relegation spots.
Team News
© Imago
With Goutas suspended following his red card at Plymouth, Cardiff will need to find a new partner for Joel Bagan and Perry Ng at the back ahead of Tuesday night.
There are also issues for the Bluebirds to contend with further up the field, with Ollie Tanner sidelined until May because of a broken foot.
Signing on loan from Aston Villa for second half of the term, Louie Barry was expected to make a major impact for Hull, but the striker has been ruled out until April with a knee injury.
The Tigers are battling on without the services of Canada international Liam Millar, who provides plenty of pace and energy on the flanks when available.
A key part of Coventry's success over recent years, Kasey Palmer has struggled to get going at the MKM Stadium and is currently nursing an ankle injury.
Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Alnwick; Ng, Fish, Bagan; Rinomhota, Ramsey, Mannsverk, O'Dowda; Alves, Colwill, Salech
Hull City possible starting lineup:
Pandur; Coyle, Hughes, Jones, McLoughlin; Matazo, Alzate; Crooks, Gelhardt, Lincoln; Joseph
We say: Cardiff City 1-2 Hull City
Struggling in South Wales this term, Cardiff will be up against it on Tuesday night as they look to conquer relegation rivals Hull in the Championship.
The Tigers have recorded standout wins at Sheffield United and Sunderland recently, so the visitors should be confident of success over the Bluebirds in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
