Nottingham Forest welcome Cardiff City to the City Ground as both teams look to kick-start their seasons after suffering opening weekend defeats.
Victory for Forest will lift them out of the bottom three whilst Cardiff can climb as high as 11th with a win, although a two goal victory could lift the Bluebirds as high as the top six ahead of Saturday’s 3pm games.
Team News
Forest have no fresh injury concerns with a near full squad available for selection despite suffering defeat at QPR last weekend, as Tiago Silva remains absent with an unspecified injury.
Cardiff have a near full squad available with Lee Tomlin unlikely to face his former club as he struggles to regain full match fitness following a recent injury, although the ex Forest striker could be named as a substitute if he can prove his fitness in time to be named on the team sheet.
Stat Attack
- Forest have won just one of their last 11 meetings against Cardiff (W1, D1, L9).
- Cardiff have won six of their last seven trips to the City Ground (W6, L1), including clean sheets in each of their last two visits.
- Forest have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last eight home matches against Cardiff since a goalless draw in April 2010.
Prediction
After two poor away performances in all competitions, Forest really need to hope that their recent blip is just a hangover from the heartbreak of blowing a play-off spot on the final day of last season, especially because they seemed to lack match sharpness in terms of clinical finishing in both games although they have played solidly in midfield and defence across those two matches.
Cardiff meanwhile are in similar form themselves with both teams losing by two goals in their opening league games last weekend against QPR and Sheffield Wednesday respectively, which suggests that there is a serious hangover affecting both teams and I therefore am not expecting much from this game but if there is a winner then I would have to go for Forest.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Cardiff City
Result: Nottingham Forest 0-2 Cardiff City