BIG-MATCH FOCUS
What time is Middlesbrough v Cardiff City kick-off?
Middlesbrough v Cardiff City kicks off at 3pm on Saturday, February 27.
Is it on TV?
No, the game will not be televised live.
What about live streaming?
Cardiff City will be streaming the game live on their website and match passes for those viewing in the UK can be bought for £10.
You can also follow all the action on the WalesOnline live blog from 12.30pm.
What is the latest team news?
Cardiff City could welcome Joe Ralls back for this weekend’s clash with Boro.
The midfielder has missed the last four games, having last turned out in the 2-1 win over Rotherham on February 9. However, he appears to have shaken off that ankle injury now and will look to force his way back into Mick McCarthy’s established side.
McCarthy has ruled out the return of Lee Tomlin despite the player, once of Boro, having twice played for Steve Morison’s under-23s in the last week. He is still working his way back to full fitness.
Junior Hoilett is in contention to start once again despite being omitted from the match-day squad against Bournemouth in midweek.
For Boro, Ashley Fletcher is expected to be out for two to three weeks, which will be a big blow for Neil Warnock.
Meanwhile, both Marcus Tavernier and Yannick Bolasie continue their training to get back to fitness though neither sound ready to play on Saturday.
Who is the referee?
Jarred Gillett is the man in the middle. Assistants will be Daniel Leach and Wade Smith, with Tom Nield the fourth official. The Australian was in charge when Cardiff won 2-0 at Bristol City earlier this month.
What are the latest betting odds?
Middlesbrough win - 13/8 Draw - 21/10
Cardiff win - 9/5
(Odds courtesy of The Pools, correct at time of publishing)
What has Mick McCarthy said?
“He is a good mate of mine, Warny [Warnock]. Obviously for 90 minutes on Saturday he won’t be and it will be the same feeling for him.
“If we come off on Saturday and I say to him ‘that was a nice game Neil, you’re really pleasant to play against’, I think he’d be as off as I would be.”
Match facts
■ Middlesbrough have taken just one point from their last five league matches against Cardiff City (D1 L4).
■ Cardiff haven’t won three consecutive away league matches against Middlesbrough since January 1928.
■ Middlesbrough have lost more home league matches in 2021 than any other Championship side (5).
■ Since McCarthy took charge as Cardiff boss in January, the Bluebirds have won four more points than any other side (20 - W6 D2).
BEN Cabango believes game management has been the backbone to a number of Swansea City’s narrow victories this season.
The Welshman headed home the only goal of the game on Wednesday night as the Swans picked up their 17th win of the Championship campaign against Coventry City.
Five of those victories have come via a 1-0 scoreline, with Steve Cooper’s side boasting the best defensive record in the EFL thanks to 17 clean sheets this term.
Cabango, who took his tally to four for the season thanks to his latest effort against the Sky Blues, said: “These 1-0 wins show the desire we have as a team. I think they are one of the most important victories you can get – knowing we can keep clean sheets and how to manage the game as well.
“We’ve had a few of those this season. We’ll just keep building, keep the momentum and hopefully, we can see it out until the end of the season.”
The Swans are on home soil again this weekend, with Bristol City the visitors to the Liberty today (3pm).
It sees former loanee Kasey Palmer return to SA1, while ex-Robins midfielder Korey Smith will be in contention to face his former club after coming off the bench against Coventry in midweek.
The visitors will see Nigel Pearson – who was at the Liberty on Wednesday to see the Swans in action – take charge for the first time following his appointment.
And Cabango is under no illusion as to the task that awaits the Swans.
“There are no easy games in the Championship, we just have to take every game as it comes,” said the 20-year-old, who has just passed 50 appearances for the Swans.
“I think we’re doing well at the moment by just focusing on each game. Bristol City is going to be a really tough game, we need to focus and recover for that and be at our best.”
Manager Cooper was delighted at Cabango’s contribution on Wednesday, saying: “He’s a bit of a throwback as a centre-half. Quite rightly, people will write about the goal, but he played really well tonight and he’s having a really good season for us as is Marc [Guehi], [Ryan Bennett] Benno, Kyle [Naughton] and Joel [Latibeaudiere].”
ARGENTINA international Gonzalo Bertranou will make his debut as Dragons face Zebre in the Guinness PRO14 in Italy today (5.15pm).
Scrum-half Bertranou is handed starting jersey for the clash at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma as boss Dean Ryan makes a total of five changes to his starting line-up.
Back row Harrison Keddie returns to captain the side while lock Joe Maksymiw is also back in the second row alongside Ben Carter, who this week signed new terms at the region.
The final changes come up front where prop Greg Bateman and hooker Ellis Shipp are both named.
Jamie Roberts returns to the matchday squad on the bench.
Ryan said: “We’re looking forward to the game in Italy and there is a huge desire in the squad to get the right result.
“Zebre showed against Ospreys that they are incredibly physical. We need to make sure we match that and also look to impose the game we want to play onto them.”
Meanwhile, Scarlets head coach Glenn Delaney has made five changes to his starting line-up for today’s vital Guinness PRO14 Conference B clash with Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield (noon).
Three of the changes are injury enforced, while hooker Ryan Elias and lock Jake Ball have returned to the Wales camp this week.
In the back three, Ryan Conbeer picked up an ankle injury in last weekend’s win over Benetton so Tom Prydie comes into the side on the right wing.
Elsewhere behind the scrum, flyhalf Sam Costelow is sidelined because of an ankle injury which means Dan Jones returns to the No.10 jersey to partner Dane Blacker.
There are two changes in the front row with hooker Marc Jones and tighthead Pieter Scholtz coming into the side for Elias and the injured Javan
Sebastian, who suffered a back issue against Benetton.
Delaney said: “We have had a positive week after the win over Benetton, but we know how big a challenge this is. Edinburgh are a tough nut to crack, physical, abrasive; they have a game based around set-piece and tactical kicking and they are good at that type of game.
Dragons (v Zebre): J Williams; J Holmes, A Owen, J Dixon, A Hewitt; S Davies, G Bertranou; G Bateman, E Shipp, L Fairbrother, B Carter, J Maksymiw, H Keddie (c), B Fry, H Taylor. Reps: R Hibbard, J Reynolds, A Jarvis, J Davies, D Baker, R Williams, J Lewis, J Roberts.
Scarlets (v Edinburgh): J McNicholl; T Prydie, T Morgan, S Hughes (c), S Evans; D Jones, D Blacker; P Price, M Jones, P Scholtz, M Jones, S Lousi, U Cassiem, J Morgan, Si Kalamafoni. Reps: T Davies, K Mathias, A Jeffries, T Ratuva, E Kennedy, W Homer, A O’Brien, P Asquith.