BLUEBIRDS V FOREST..... BIG-MATCH FOCUS
CARDIFF return to the Cardiff City Stadium today to take on a Nottingham Forest side who have improved under the stewardship of former Swansea manager Steve Cooper.
Here’s everything you need to know about the clash...
WHAT TIME IS CARDIFF CITY V NOTTINGHAM FOREST KICK-OFF?
Today at 4pm.
IS CARDIFF CITY V NOTTINGHAM FOREST ON TV?
Yes, the game will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event with coverage starting at 3.30pm.
WHAT ABOUT LIVE STREAMING?
The fixture will be available for streaming on the Sky Go app.
You can also follow live updates from Cardiff City Stadium via the Walesonline match blog which will be available on our Cardiff City page.
WHAT’S THE LATEST TEAM NEWS?
Cardiff City will be without Kieffer Moore once again.
The striker has undergone an injection in his ankle, according to Steve Morison, amid reported interest from Bournemouth.
Elsewhere, Cardiff have reported a clean bill of health. For Forest, they also have no new injury concerns.
WHAT HAVE THE MANAGERS SAID?
CARDIFF CITY BOSS STEVE MORISON:
“We need to win every game. It doesn’t get much tougher than Nottingham Forest on the run they are on. We all know what we need to do and we trying our best to do that.
“The fans will definitely help. So, fingers crossed they manage to do that. I don’t think we are far away at all, from a statistical point of view. We just need to tighten it all up and keep training hard.
“We have had a really good week’s training, let’s hope we carry that on through until Sunday.” NOTTINGHAM FOREST BOSS STEVE COOPER: “I want the team to play well in every single game we play.
“I always say whatever’s happened in the last game has gone, my expectations for the next game will always be higher.
“Over the course of the season, you want to have accumulated enough points because of your performances. However we played in the last game, that doesn’t change what I want from the next game.
“We have to make sure our standards remain really high so we can keep pushing and progressing for the next game. We have to go into the game wanting to win, but understand what it takes to win. Any game in this league is a tough one.
“I look at Cardiff and see a lot of good players with experience.
“We expect them to be at their best, because you have to expect that.”
WHAT ARE THE LATEST BETTING ODDS?
Cardiff City - 15/8; Draw - 11/5; Nottingham Forest - 6/4
(Odds courtesy of SkyBet and correct at time of publication)
WHO’S THE REF?
David Webb is the man in charge. He last refereed the Bluebirds in their 2-1 with over Huddersfield in November last year. Adam Crysell and Robert Hyde are assistants, with Keith Stroud the fourth official.
MATCH FACTS
■ Cardiff have won 11 of their last 14 league meetings with Forest (D1 L2); however, they have lost their last two home games against them.
■ The away team has won nine of the last 12 league meetings between Cardiff and Forest (D1 L2), including each of the last five in a row.
■ Cardiff have lost nine of their last 10 home league games (W1), failing to score in seven of these defeats.
■ Since Steve Cooper’s first weekend of charge of the club in September, only Fulham (41) have earned more points in the Championship than Nottingham Forest (39, coming into this weekend’s games).
■ Cardiff are without a clean sheet in 24 league matches, their worst run since going 34 games without one between October 1933 and August 1934.