Cardiff scored three goals for the second game running at the weekend to further strengthen our promotion challenge. Next up for the Bluebirds is one of the longest away trips of the season, as we head to Norwich in search of a third straight league win. Simon Glanville has the lowdown.
Cardiff team news: Dave Jones once again has injury worries ahead of the trip to Norwich. Jay Bothroyd made a scoring return at the weekend but had to be replaced before the break, as did defender Mark Kennedy. Both are major doubts for Tuesday night.
Stephen McPhail and Kevin McNaughton were again missing on Saturday and are also doubts for the long trip on Tuesday, but the likes of Eddie Johnson and Miguel Comminges are waiting in the wings.
Norwich team news: Manager Bryan Gunn has no new injury concerns to report ahead of the Cardiff game. Dejan Stefanovic (cruciate ligament) and Adam Drury (knee) remain on the long-term injury list, but other than that Gunn has a fully fit squad.
New loan signing David Mooney should also be available, after he completed the formalities of his move from fellow Championship club, Reading.
Norwich's season so far: After playing Premier League football just over three years ago, Norwich were one of the tips for promotion at the beginning of the season. Glenn Roeder's men failed to live up to that tag, and have found life in the Championship more difficult than expected this season.
Roeder left the club in mid January and was replaced by Canaries favourite Bryan Gunn, after a series of poor performances. As often happens when a new manager comes into a club, results improved, including a 4-0 thrashing of Barnsley in his first game in charge. The bubble seems to have burst however, and Norwich will come to Ninian Park ranked 23rd in the division, and will need to improve quickly if they are to avoid the drop into League One.
Last meeting: Cardiff left Ninian Park wondering how they hadn't picked up three points against Norwich back in August as two late Arturo Lupoli goals broke City's hearts. Ross McCormack had earlier notched a brace of his own to put the Bluebirds firmly in control, but Lupoli's goals on 77 and 81 minutes earned the Canaries an unlikely point.
Teams from last meeting at Ninian Park on 23rd August 2008:
Bluebirds: Heaton, Purse, Roger Johnson, Kennedy (Comminges 78), Blake, McPhail, Parry, Ledley, Scimeca, McCormack (Whittingham 68), Bothroyd (Thompson 74). Subs not used: Enckelman, Gyepes.
Norwich: Marshall, Kennedy, Stefanovic, Bertrand, Omozusi, Clingan (Lupoli 73), Hoolahan (Croft 46), Fotheringham, Pattison, Cureton (Koroma 61), Russell. Subs not used: Shackell, Nelson.
Attendance: 18,032.
Norwich last time out: Norwich failed to take the chance to beat one of their relegation rivals at the weekend as Blackpool won out at Bloomfield Road. Goals from Brett Ormerod and Charlie Adam condemned the Canaries to their fourth defeat in six matches.
Norwich skipper Gary Doherty was left frustrated after the Tangerines took the lead after 55 minutes when Brett Ormerod's cross-come-shot ended up in Norwich's net.
"They scored a bizarre goal which killed us," Doherty told BBC Radio Norfolk. "I'm guessing he was trying to cross it. If he was trying to shoot from there he must be one hell of a player. And the second was disappointing as well.
"There will be some harsh words said, but we need to try and pick some of the lads up. We've got a number of flair players and, if you have a go at them, their heads will drop and you won't get the best out of them."
Norwich: Marshall, Otsemobor, Doherty, Shackell, Grounds, Croft (Mooney 60), Russell, Clingan, Bertrand (Carney 76), Hoolahan (Gow 76), Cort. Subs not used: Nelson, Lappin.
