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Wolves logo
Championship
Aug 23, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Cardiff City logo

1-0

Hudson (90' og.)
FT(HT: 0-0)

Preview: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Cardiff City

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's Championship clash between newly-promoted Wolves and recently-relegated Cardiff.

Having dispatched of one recently-relegated side on Wednesday, Wolverhampton Wanderers will be looking to do the same when Cardiff City come to town on Saturday afternoon.

Wolves edged to a 1-0 victory over underachieving Fulham at Craven Cottage in midweek, making it two wins from their opening three matches back in the second tier.

Last season's League One champions have been tipped by many to push for back-to-back promotions, and they have certainly shown enough signs to suggest that they will be fighting in the top half rather than battling against relegation.

An opening-day victory over Norwich City was a fine way to start the campaign, and if they can repeat that feat this weekend then they will have completed the set of recently-relegated sides in their opening four games.

Indeed, it was the match they were most expected to win that saw their only slip-up in the league so far as fellow new boys Rotherham United rode their luck on the way to a 1-0 victory.

Defeat at home to Northampton Town in the first round of the League Cup was another disappointing result for Kenny Jackett's side, but if they prefer going into a match as underdogs then Saturday's clash with Cardiff could be perfect for them.

The hosts have no new injury concerns to worry about so could name an unchanged side, although Jackett may want to rest some players given the short space of time since their last outing.

While Wolves will be pleased with their start, Cardiff must be positively delighted with how they have begun their quest for an immediate return to the Premier League.

An opening-day draw with Blackburn Rovers has been followed up by victories over Huddersfield Town and expected title rivals Wigan Athletic, making the Bluebirds one of just five remaining unbeaten teams in the Championship.

The visitors will be keen to focus on matters on the field despite recent allegations surrounding former employees Malky Mackay and Iain Moody.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should have little problem distancing both himself and his players from that situation, however, with the events in question taking place before he joined the club.

Instead, he will be looking for Kenwyne Jones to continue his good form, with the striker seemingly reborn in the Championship having scored three goals in as many games and assisted Nicky Maynard's winner against Wigan on Tuesday.

That same pair is expected to keep Adam Le Fondre and Javi Guerra on the bench once more, while new signing Tom Adeyemi could keep his place in what may well be an unchanged lineup.

Recent form

Wolves: WLLW

Cardiff: DWWW

Possible starting lineups

Wolves: Ikeme; Doherty, Batth, Stearman, Golbourne; Evans, McDonald, Van La Parra, Edwards, Sako; Dicko

Cardiff: Marshall; Brayford, Morrison, Connolly, Fabio; Daehli, Adeyemi, Gunnarsson, Whittingham; Maynard, Jones

Sports Mole says: 1-1


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Nicky Maynard of Cardiff City in action during the Capital One Cup third round match between West Ham United and Cardiff City at the Boleyn Ground on September 24, 2013
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