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Cardiff City logo
Championship | Gameweek 45
Apr 27, 2024 at 3pm UK
Cardiff City Stadium
Middlesbrough logo

Cardiff
1 - 4
Middlesbrough

Bowler (90+1')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Clarke (45'), Azaz (49'), Latte Lath (56'), Gilbert (60')

Preview: Cardiff City vs. Middlesbrough - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Cardiff City and Middlesbrough, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Cardiff City and Middlesbrough square off on Saturday afternoon looking to secure a top-10 finish in the Championship standings.

The two teams sit in 11th and ninth position respectively and a win in South Wales for either side would put them on the brink of achieving that target.


Match preview

Cardiff City manager Erol Bulut on February 13, 2024© Reuters

While Erol Bulut has cut a frustrated figure at times in recent weeks, he cannot be overly frustrated with how Cardiff's campaign has panned out.

For a club that has been fending off relegation in recent years, a return of 62 points from 44 games is a more-than-respectable return for the Turkish boss in his first season in English football.

Although the Bluebirds have lost 20 times in comparison to 19 wins, they have prevailed in seven of their most recent 11 matches in the second tier.

A two-game losing streak at the Cardiff City Stadium was brought to an end last weekend as they recorded a 2-1 victory over promotion-chasing Southampton.

Like they did against Ipswich Town last month, Cardiff came from behind to defeat one of the best teams in the division, but Bulut's side head into their final home fixture of the season having scored just 26 goals in 22 such games.

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough's late promotion charge has now come to an end on the back of going three games without success.

Away draws with Hull City and Ipswich Town were followed by a 4-3 defeat at home to Leeds United on Monday night, with eighth place now their realistic best scenario.

Losing to Leeds ended a nine-game unbeaten run for Michael Carrick's side, and the Englishman will take the positives from ending the season on a relative high.

Middlesbrough's away form has not been the issue, with 32 points being accumulated from 22 games, while they have not lost on their travels since March 2.

Cardiff City Championship form:

Middlesbrough Championship form:


Team News

Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick reacts on March 12, 2024© Reuters

In a memorable moment for Cardiff last week, 17-year-old Luey Giles came off the substitutes' bench to set up 19-year-old Cian Ashford for his first goal on his full debut.

The latter is expected to keep his place in the starting lineup, with Famara Diedhiou potentially coming into the attack and Yakou Meite moving out wide.

At a time when Cardiff have a lengthy injury list, the rest of the team may stay the same, although Raheem Conte is another youngster in contention for a start at right-back.

Luke Ayling and Sam Greenwood are in line to return for Middlesbrough having been unable to face parent club Leeds on Monday.

That may prove to be the only two changes made by Carrick, Anfernee Dijksteel and Sam Silvera the players to miss out.


Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Horvath; Romeo, Phillips, Goutas, Tanner; Siopis, Ralls; Ashford, Colwill, Meite; Diedhiou

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Dieng; Ayling, Van den Berg, Clarke, Thomas; Howson, O'Brien; Jones, Azaz, Greenwood; Lath


SM words green background

We say: Cardiff City 2-1 Middlesbrough

This is a fixture with two evenly-matched sides who have collected regular points of late, making this a difficult match to predict. However, with Boro now three games without success on their travels, we are backing Cardiff to edge this contest by the odd goal in three.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.




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Game History

How you voted: Cardiff vs Middlesbrough

Cardiff City
45.0%
Draw
30.0%
Middlesbrough
25.0%
20
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLeicester CityLeicester463141189414897
3Leeds UnitedLeeds462791081433890
4Southampton462691187632487
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4621121370472375
6Norwich CityNorwich4621101579641573
7Hull City461913146860870
8Middlesbrough46209177162969
9Coventry CityCoventry4617131670591164
10Preston North EndPreston46189195667-1163
11Bristol City461711185351262
12Cardiff CityCardiff46195225370-1762
13Millwall461611194555-1059
14Swansea CitySwansea461512195965-657
15Watford461317166161056
16Sunderland46168225254-256
17Stoke CityStoke461511204960-1156
18Queens Park RangersQPR461511204758-1156
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn461411216074-1453
20Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds46158234468-2453
21Plymouth ArgylePlymouth461312215970-1151
RBirmingham CityBirmingham461311225065-1550
23Huddersfield TownHuddersfield46918194877-2945
RRotherham UnitedRotherham46512293789-5227


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