by Matt Slater
Date: 16/03/2021
Venue: The Cardiff City Stadium
BOTH sides will be looking to return to winning ways as Cardiff City continue their hunt for promotion.
Last time out, Mick McCarthy tasted his first defeat as the Bluebirds boss at the hands of Watford.
Cardiff find themselves just seven points off a playoff spot, following a sudden surge in form that led to McCarthy signing a long-term deal.
But the loss to Watford means that McCarthy faces the tough task of overcoming a 7-point deficit in 10 games.
Following Stoke’s loss to Middlesbrough, O’Neill’s men have now lost four of their last five games. Though, Michael O’Neill is aware that their defence was lacklustre, and that they lacked that much needed attacking intent.
“I’m extremely disappointed,” O’Neill said.
“I felt we controlled the game for large proportions, particularly for the first 20 or 25 minutes until they scored from their first set piece – the first time they were basically in the final third.
“We defended the corner poorly, then suddenly it’s a difficult game for us.
“The second goal, again, we didn’t defend well enough.
“And for all the play we had, both leading up to that and in the second half, we just didn’t do enough with it to be honest.
“We had no cutting edge – we didn’t have enough in the final third.
“If you don’t have that, it’s very difficult to win the game, it’s very difficult to get back in the game.”
In the reverse fixture, Cardiff sealed a 2-1 victory after Sean Morrison scored for both teams, but Robert Glatzel’s early strike helped the Bluebirds onto the win.
Welsh starlet, Rabbi Matondo, will be heading to Wales for the first time as a Potter and will be looking to give Stoke’s promotion push a second wind, but many will be expecting the Bluebirds to grab the win.
