Cardiff travel north this weekend looking for the point they need to secure a play-off place against Play-off chasing Preston North End.

City may well be without Roger Johnson for another game after suffering a throat injury against Crystal Palace last weekend and Darren Purse will continue to deputise if Roger cannot return.

Stuart Taylor looks set to continue in goal following his loan extension to the end of the season while Peter Enckelman continues his steady return from injury.

City travel to Deepdale to face a side that have one of the best home records in the Championship but Preston have had their injury worries of late. Richard Chaplow looks set to miss out as he continues to struggle with an injury and Watford loanee, Lee Williamson, will continue to deputise in his absence.

Callum Davidson will also miss out as he tries to recover from a number of niggling injuries since the turn of the year.

Preston's injury woes have attributed to their poor run over spring but the Lilywhites got their play-off push back on track after their 2-0 victory away at the Keepmoat Stadium on Monday.

Goals for Chris Brown and Neil Mellor were enough for North End to claim victory over Doncaster Rovers, as they produced a solid performance away from home and claimed their first win in four games.

In fact, Preston have won only twice in their last eight games, their poor run costing them having been well placed in fourth position before their slip in form.

So Cardiff should be in no doubt that Preston will be gunning for a second victory in as many games against the Bluebirds and the three points they need to keep their play-off chances alive. Be in no doubt that the physical strength of their team will cause City some problems to overcome.

Former Liverpool youth star Neil Mellor is Preston's top scorer this season with 10 goals in all competitions and has been an ever present this season up front with Jon Parkin.

Parkin is North End's top league goalscorer with 9 goals this season and the former Stoke City striker is in his best spell of form since his days with Hull City a few years ago.

The partnership of the two upfront will provide an extreme physical test for City's backline and will be a battle the City defence will need to win if they are going to get something out of the match.

In the last few games against the Lilywhites, City have had the better of the Lancashire side. Cardiff have won three of the last four meetings between the clubs with the latest coming at Ninian Park earlier this season.

A goal from Roger Johnson and a Michael Chopra penalty were enough to seal the points for Cardiff that day with their last defeat against Preston coming at Deepdale in 2006 when the Bluebirds lost 2-1.

In fact before the past few seasons Preston could be seen as a bit of a bogey side for City. Since promotion to the second tier in 2003 City did not beat North End in 7 attempts home or away.

But City broke the curse in 2007 when they won 4-1 at Ninian Park helped by a Michael Chopra brace. Indeed, Chops' has a good record against Preston having scored four times in three games against North End.

There is no doubt that Chopra will look to continue his good record against Preston on Saturday to help the Bluebirds claim maximum points at Deepdale.

A boost to City is the absence of Richard Chaplow from the Preston side. Chaplow has a good record against the Bluebirds especially in his time with Burnley. He has hit the Bluebirds twice during his spell with Burnley scoring in the Clarets victory in 2004 andscoring a late equaliser against City in the 1-1 draw away in 2003.

He has been a spoiler for City in the past and Cardiff will be pleased that the creative playmaker is a doubt for the game. Former Birmingham player Darren Carter or on loan Watford midfielder Lee Williamson look set to take his place in midfield as Preston look to cope with their injury troubles.

It is going to be a tight affair up at Deepdale with Preston's impressive home record sure to provide the Bluebirds a tough test. But Dave Jones' side will hope they can build on their three straight victories over the Easter period and continue the push for automatic promotion.