Cardiff City head north this Friday night to take on league leaders Newcastle United at St. James' Park. With City still holding genuine automatic promotion hopes, this one should be a cracker. Simon Glanville previews the game.
Cardiff team news: Gavin Rae is the latest of Dave Jones' squad to be ruled out of the big game at St James' Park after receiving treatment all week for a hamstring injury. Kelvin Etuhu is still a couple of weeks away from a return, as is Stephen McPhail. Aaron Wildig is likely to figure in a central midfield role.
Newcastle team news: A number of new boys will be in the Newcastle squad after Chris Hughton had a busy January. Striker Leon Best was signed from Coventry City just before the transfer window slammed shut, whilst Mike Williamson, Patrick Van Aaonholt and former Bluebird Wayne Routledge signed earlier in January. Danny Simpson and Shola Ameobi could return after missing the Magpies' last game, but Steven Taylor, Jose Enrique and Joey Barton remain on the sidelines.
Newcastle's season so far: Following their relegation from the Premier League last season, many were predicting Newcastle United to struggle in the Championship. But the Magpies have proved their doubters wrong and look set to get back into the big time at the first time of asking after a very strong first half of the campaign.
Chris Hughton has been given the Newcastle job on a permanent basis after a successful stint as caretaker and he has had the luxury of keeping hold of a number of his big name stars. Kevin Nolan has scored plenty of goals from midfield, while the likes of Steve Harper, Steven Taylor and Alan Smith have remained loyal to the club. With West Bromwich Albion leading a number of chasing clubs though, Newcastle will know they need to continue their impressive form to reach the Promised Land at the end of the season.
Last meeting: More than 25,000 packed into Cardiff City Stadium for our meeting with Newcastle United earlier this campaign, but the majority of that number went home unhappy after the visitors left with all three points. Fabricio Coloccini scored the only goal of the game after eighteen minutes, as City missed a number of good chances to equalise throughout the contest.
Teams from last meeting at Cardiff City Stadium on 13th September 2009:
Cardiff City: Marshall, Quinn, Gerrard, Hudson, Burke, Whittingham (Etuhu, 67), Ledley, Rae, Capaldi, Chopra, Bothroyd. Subs not used: Kennedy, Enckelman, Gyepes, Taiwo, Matthews, McPhail.
Newcastle United: Harper, Steven Taylor, Enrique, Simpson, Coloccini, Barton (Geremi, 86), Guthrie (Lovenkrands, 61), Nolan, Smith, Ryan Taylor (Butt, 76), Ranger. Subs not used: Krul, Lua Lua, Kadar, Donaldson.
Attendance: 25,630.
Newcastle United - last time out: A much-changed Newcastle side drew a blank last time out, as promotion rivals Leicester City held them to a goalless stalemate at the Walkers Stadium.
Newcastle United side versus Leicester City: Harper, Williamson, Ryan Taylor, Van Aanholt, Coloccini, Routledge, Butt, Guthrie, Nolan (Pancrate 75), Carroll, Smith (Ranger 62). Subs not used: Hall, Krul, Gutierrez, Lovenkrands, Kadar.
