ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
Cardiff City end the calendar year away to Sheffield Wednesday today.
Here’s the full lowdown on the game.
WHAT TIME IS KICK-OFF?
The game at Hillsborough starts at 3pm.
IS IT ON TV?
WHAT IS THE LATEST TEAM NEWS?
Cardiff are sweating over the fitness of Lee Peltier.
The right-back sustained a knock to his knee in the 1-1 draw with Millwall on Boxing Day and, despite trying to play on, hobbled off the field just minutes later.
It is as yet unknown whether
Josh Murphy will be recalled into the match-day squad, having been jettisoned for the Millwall clash after he was jeered off against Preston North End last weekend.
Neil Harris has said the winger is fully fit and is available for selection if required, however it appears Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Junior Hoilett and Gavin Whyte are currently ahead of him in the pecking order.
Joe Ralls will miss the clash owing to his broken hand, while Isaac Vassell and Matthew Connolly are once again the long-term absentees.
Captain Sean Morrison will also be missing as he serves the final match of his three-game suspension.
As for the hosts, their chief concern is Steven Fletcher, who has missed the last two matches owing to illness. The striker has been far and away the Owls’ top scorer this season, having netted 12 times already, eight more than his nearest rival.
Midfielder Massimo Luongo, meanwhile, went off against Stoke with a cut to his head, so he is also a doubt for today’s game.
Goalkeeper Keiren Westwood has a shoulder problem, while Fernando Forestieri is also out with a knee injury.
WHAT ARE THE LATEST BETTING ODDS?
Sheffield Wednesday win 7/10 Draw 11/4
Cardiff City win 4/1
(Odds correct at time of publishing. Courtesy of The Pools)
WHO IS THE REFEREE?
Tim Robinson is the man in the middle for the game in Sheffield. Jonathan Hunt and Matthew McGrath will be his assistants while David Webb is the fourth official.
Robinson has refereed Cardiff twice this season, the 2-2 draw with Millwall at The Den and the 1-1 home draw with Fulham in August when he sent off the Cottagers’ former Bluebird Harry Arter.
He was in the middle for Sheffield Wednesday’s 3-1 win at Charlton and their 0-0 draw with Leeds.
MATCH FACTS
Sheffield Wednesday are unbeaten in eight league matches against Cardiff (W2 D6), a run stretching back to February 2015.
Cardiff have failed to score in each of their last three away league matches against Sheffield Wednesday (D1 L2).
Sheffield Wednesday are unbeaten in their last six Championship home games (W4 D4); their longest run under the same manager since October 2018 under Jos Luhukay (eight games).
Cardiff have only won one of their last 12 away games in the Championship (D6 L5), with that lone victory coming against Nottingham Forest at the end of November.
Sheffield Wednesday have only scored three first half goals at Hillsborough in the Championship this season, with 10 of their 13 coming in the second half of games.
Cardiff striker Danny Ward has faced Sheffield Wednesday more often in his league career (10 games, no goals) than any club he is yet to score against.