Cardiff City vs Manchester City preview

By Ric Turner, Fri 23 August 2013 12:44


Cardiff City vs Manchester City previewA look ahead at Sunday's game at The Cardiff City Stadium

Cardiff City vs Manchester City

Date: 4pm Sunday 25th August 2013

Venue: Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff

Referee: Lee Probert. Assistants: R Ganfield, R West. Fourth Official: L Mason.

Television: Sky Sports

Odds: Cardiff City 13/2, Draw 7/2, Manchester City 4/9

Tickets: Sold out.

Cardiff City

Manager: Malky Mackay

Squad (from): Joe Lewis, Simon Moore, David Marshall, Adedeji Oshilaja, Kevin Mcnaughton, John Brayford, Ben Turner, Andrew Taylor, Steven Caulker, Mark Hudson, Matthew Connolly , Declan John, Kadeem Harris, Filip Kiss, Simon Lappin, Don Cowie, Craig Conway, Aron Gunnarsson, Jordon Mutch, Craig Noone, Kim Bo-Kyung, Gary Medel, Peter Whittingham , Craig Bellamy, Etien Velikonja, Nicky Maynard, Joe Mason, Tommy Smith, Rudy Gestede, Andreas Cornelius, Fraizer Campbell

Injured: none

Doubtful: Andreas Cornelius

Suspended: none

Form guide: L

Manchester City

Manager: Manuel Pellegrini

Squad (from): Joe Hart, Costel Pantilimon, Richard Wright, Gael Clichy, Aleksandar Kolarov, Joleon Lescott, Pablo Zabaleta, Gareth Barry, Fernandinho, Javi Garcia, James Milner, Samir Nasri, Jesus Navas, Abdul Razak, Jack Rodwell, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko, Álvaro Negredo

Injured: Micah Richards, Vincent Kompany

Doubtful: Matija Nastasic, Stevan Jovetic

Suspended: none

Form guide: W

City travel to newly promoted Cardiff for their first away game of the season on Sunday, hoping to build on Monday's 4-0 victory over Newcastle United.

Vincent Kompany is absent with the groin strain picked up in that game, whilst Micah Richards once again misses out. With doubts lingering over Matija Nastasic's fitness, City are facing something of a crisis at centre half and either Javi Garcia or Jack Rodwell could be pushed into emergency service should the Serbian not recover in time.

Stevan Jovetic is expected to have shaken off a knock, but may have to settle for a place on the bench as Pellegrini is likely to keep faith with the attacking quarter of Silva, Navas, Aguero and Dzeko after all four impressed against Newcastle.

Cardiff will be hoping to make amends following a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Upton Park on the opening day of the season. Manager Malky Mackay has no fresh injury concerns, and record signing Andreas Cornelius is expected to be fit to play some part. The atmosphere promises to be special, marking Cardiff's first top flight game for over 50 years, and ex-Blue Craig Bellamy will hope to start against his former club.

City's last away game against Cardiff came in the 1994 F.A. Cup defeat after Nathan Blake's wonder goal. Overall the Blues have won 19 of the 47 games played against Cardiff, with 20 draws and eight defeats.