Preview: Cardiff City vs. Bournemouth

Nine games of the Championship season remain for league leaders Bournemouth as they chase their first ever promotion to the top flight and next is a trip to Cardiff City this evening.

The Cherries' superior goal difference sees them top the standings ahead of Watford and Middlesbrough, both also on 69 points after 37 games.

Eddie Howe's side appear to be back to their best at just the right time with three straight victories following a run of five games without a win in February, but a slip-up could see them drop out of the automatic-promotion places.

They remain the league's top scorers with 78 goals having netted nine in their last two wins, including four unanswered goals in Saturday's top-versus-bottom match against Blackpool.

Brett Pitman has taken on the scoring load with five of Bournemouth's nine goals in the recent wins over Fulham and Blackpool after going 10 without finding the net. He should continue up front with Callum Wilson even though Yann Kermorgant is available again.

Howe is only likely to make one change by recalling Harry Arter for Shaun MacDonald in midfield after the former served a one-game ban on Saturday.

They take on a mid-table Cardiff side who are on the up with three victories in their last five games after a run of eight without a win in all competitions.

However, all three recent successes, including a 2-1 win at sixth-placed Brentford where they finished with nine men on Saturday, have come away from home.

Following Russell Slade's appointment as manager in October, Cardiff were one of the strongest sides on their own turf in the division, but their form at the Cardiff City Stadium has taken a serious downturn in 2015.

The Bluebirds have not won any of their last six home games in all competitions, losing four, with their last win in the Welsh capital over two months ago on January 10.

Slade will be without Federico Macheda and Kadeem Harris after they were both dismissed at Griffin Park three days ago. Harris was a half-time substitute, while Macheda's place up front should be taken by either Kenwyne Jones or Eoin Doyle.

The Bluebirds haven't kept a clean sheet against Bournemouth in the league since 1946 - a run of 14 games. The reverse fixture was an eight-goal thriller that Bournemouth edged 5-3.

This is the third meeting between the two sides this season and Bournemouth are going for a 100% record as they also won September's League Cup tie 3-0 at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Cardiff:

Recent form: DWLWLW

Possible starting lineup: Moore; Peltier, Morrison, Ecuele Manga, Fabio; Kennedy, Gunnarsson, Whittingham, Noone; Jones, Revell

Bournemouth:

Recent form: LLDWWW

Possible starting lineup: Boruc; Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels; Ritchie, Arter, Surman, Pugh, Pitman, Wilson

Sports Mole says: 1-2