By Simon Glanville
Cardiff City's impressive form is showing no signs of letting up after a fantastic win at Sheffield United last time out. Next up for the Bluebirds is another tough encounter, with Nottingham Forest visiting South Wales on Sunday. Simon Glanville previews the match.
Cardiff team news: On loan Kelvin Etuhu will still be missing for Cardiff City, but he has targeted a return against Ipswich Town at the end of November. Strikers Ross McCormack and Warren Feeney are pushing for a start now that both players are fully fit, with Dave Jones having no new injury concerns at present.
Forest team news: Former Bluebird Rob Earnshaw faces a race against time to be fit for the clash at Cardiff City Stadium, after struggling in recent weeks with a calf problem. Dexter Blackstock is likely to be missing after straining knee ligaments recently, whilst Nathan Tyson also has an ankle problem.
James Perch will definitely be out after still not returning from a stress fracture in his shin. The defender has not played since the end of last season and has continued to suffer minor setbacks as he recovers from injury.
Forest's season so far: After a slow start to the season, Nottingham Forest have upped their game in the past month or so to move in to promotion contention with the rest of the Championship's big boys. Forest picked up just two points from their first four league games, but got their season up and running with a 3-2 win over rivals Derby County in late August. Draws at Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich and then a loss at home to Blackpool saw their slow start continue, but since then the Tricky Trees have found some excellent form.
Before last weekend's draw at Crystal Palace, Billy Davies' side had won five league games in a row against Plymouth Argyle, Scunthorpe United, Peterborough United, Newcastle United and Barnsley. That run has seen them move into the top ten in the Championship, just three points behind Cardiff.
Last meeting: Goals from Paul Parry and Jay Bothroyd secured a comfortable home victory for Cardiff against Forest in January. Parry opened the scoring on eighteen minutes and Bothroyd made sure of the points three minutes from time to send the Ninian Park faithful home happy.
Teams from last meeting at Ninian Park on 31st January 2009:
Bluebirds: Enckelman, McNaughton, Gyepes (Purse 71), Roger Johnson, Kennedy, Parry, Rae, Ledley, Burke (Comminges 89), McCormack (Eddie Johnson 89), Bothroyd. Subs not used: Heaton, McPhail.
Forest: Smith, Chambers, Morgan, Breckin, Perch, Wilson, McGugan (Moloney 81), McCleary (Garner 46), Cohen, Thornhill, Tyson. Subs not used: Gamble, Davies, Byrne.
Attendance: 18,779.
Forest last time out: Billy Davies' Nottingham Forest picked up a decent point last time out at Crystal Palace. Darren Ambrose put the home side ahead at Selhurst Park, but Dave McGoldrick rescued a point for his side with a goal shortly after the break.
Forest v Crystal Palace: Camp, Morgan, Wilson, Gunter, Cohen, Anderson (McCleary 48), McKenna, McGugan (Chambers 68), Tyson (Garner 81), Adebola, McGoldrick. Subs not used: Smith, Lynch, Perch, Majewski.
