In their second game under the new management of Sabri Lamouchi, Cardiff City will look to put an end to their 10-match winless run on Saturday, when they make the trip to take on Hull City.
The Bluebirds lost in the dying minutes of their contest away at Luton Town on Tuesday, remaining just three points above the bottom three in the Championship table as a result, while their hosts have quickly climbed to 15th spot thanks to an impressive upturn in form.
Match preview
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Hull City certainly find themselves in a far better position under the management of Liam Rosenior since the return from the World Cup break, having only put 24 points on the board from their first 21 matches before the month-long break in play.
Since coming back to league action in mid-December, the Tigers have played eight Championship games and added 13 points to their tally, having put three more wins on the board while only suffering one defeat.
That loss came away at second-placed Sheffield United, after victories over Birmingham City and Wigan Athletic and four draws, as Daniel Jebbison's early goal made the only difference away at the title-chasers, before the Humber outfit made an immediate return to winning ways at home to Queens Park Rangers at the weekend.
With the majority of teams in England's second tier not in league action over the weekend due to the FA Cup fourth-round fixtures, Rosenior's side had a good chance to further improve their standing in the division on Saturday, and they successfully did so with an impressive 3-0 victory thanks to an Aaron Connolly brace and an own goal from Robert Dickie.
Such an improved run of form has now seen the Tigers climb well clear of the threat of relegation and up to 15th spot with just a two-point gap to the top half, and they will aim to continue their rise with a second straight victory at the weekend.
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They welcome a Cardiff City side who find themselves in a contrasting run of form, with the Welsh outfit winless in 12 games in all competitions and the 10 since the World Cup break.
Aside from a draw with Premier League outfit Leeds United in the FA Cup third round and the subsequent 5-2 away defeat in the replay, the Bluebirds have put just five points on the board in eight attempts in the Championship since mid-December, with such a run triggering the dismissal of manager Mark Hudson.
Dean Whitehead then took the reins on an interim basis, and after that replay defeat to Leeds in his first game in charge, they hosted Millwall and suffered a 1-0 defeat before Sabri Lamouchi was unveiled as the new boss last Friday.
He oversaw his first match on Tuesday as the Bluebirds took on Luton Town at Kenilworth Road, and while they did not find an opener of their own, Cardiff did look set to leave with a point from a goalless draw, only for Elijah Adebayo to pop up with an 88th-minute winner for the hosts and send Lamouchi's men home empty-handed.
With the new manager failing to inspire an instant turnaround, Cardiff City now sit just three points above the relegation zone in England's second tier, and having gone 10 league matches without a victory, they will be desperate to turn their form around and begin to increase that cushion on Saturday.
Team News
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Hull City will remain without winger Benjamin Tetteh, who continues to serve a suspension after being sent off late in the defeat to Sheffield United, while fellow wide man Allahyar Sayyadmanesh is still sidelined alongside Jacob Greaves and Dimitrios Pelkas.
Rosenior may be tempted to deploy an unchanged starting XI from their dominant victory over QPR, although he does have several new options to choose from after the end of their January transfer business, with goalkeeper Karl Darlow arriving on loan from Newcastle United and Malcolm Ebiowei vying for a spot on the wing after making the loan switch from Crystal Palace.
Fellow January arrival Aaron Connolly will keep his place in the attacking unit after hitting a brace last time out, with the Brighton & Hove Albion loanee set to support Oscar Estupinan, who has netted 12 Championship goals for the Tigers so far this season.
Cardiff City rounded off the January transfer window with the loan signing of forward Sory Kaba from FC Midtjylland, but after he only arrived late on Tuesday, he may have to wait for a first start, with Callum Robinson again set to lead the line at the weekend.
There is competition for the other places in the front line, with Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Rubin Colwill and Kion Etete all vying to come in after Sheyi Ojo and Mark Harris were preferred in the front three in Lamouchi's first game at the helm against Luton.
Elsewhere, the midfield three of Joe Ralls, Romaine Sawyers and Ryan Wintle should remain unchanged, while Mark McGuinness will again play an important role in the middle of the defence after being recalled from his loan spell with Sheffield Wednesday in January.
Hull City possible starting lineup:
Darlow; Christie, Jones, McLoughlin, Elder; Docherty, Seri; Connolly, Tufan, Slater; Estupinan
Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Allsop; Ng, Kipre, McGuinness, Simpson; Sawyers, Ralls, Wintle; Ojo, Robinson, Philogene-Bidace
We say: Hull City 2-1 Cardiff City
Cardiff are lacking any real confidence given their form in recent months, while the Tigers are on an upwards trajectory under Rosenior, and we envisage a home victory at the weekend as a result as Hull continue to build momentum.
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Top tip
Sam Varley
