Preview: Cardiff City vs. Millwall - prediction, team news, lineups

While the Bluebirds sit in 11th position in the table, Millwall are down in 19th spot after an indifferent start under a new manager.

Match preview

For the first time since August, Cardiff have suffered back-to-back defeats in the Championship, losing to West Bromwich Albion and Southampton respectively.

With the Bluebirds having also won just three of their last 10 fixtures, it presents Erol Bulut with a conundrum to solve as he bids to keep the club in the promotion race.

Despite more positives than negatives coming from this season, Cardiff are now three points adrift of sixth and just two points above 14th place.

Back-to-back home fixtures against struggling teams in Millwall and Birmingham City provides them with a chance to get back on track ahead of the Christmas and New Year period.

However, failure to take advantage of those games will leave Cardiff playing catch-up at a time when it is unrealistic to expect four of the current top six to let slip of their current positions.

From Millwall's perspective, Joe Edwards will look at his side being just six points below 11th position as evidence that they can quickly get back into contention for the playoffs.

Nevertheless, this is a Lions side that have won just one of their last nine games in the second tier, that solitary triumph coming away at bottom-placed Sheffield Wednesday.

Momentum was lost in defeats to Coventry City and Ipswich Town, but a 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland last time out has at least steadied the ship for the time being.

Edwards has four points from his opening four games as Millwall boss, yet with a trip to Leicester City to follow travelling to South Wales, this feels like an important fixture in the context of their season.

Cardiff City Championship form:

W

D

L

W

L

L

Millwall Championship form:

D

L

W

L

L

D

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Team News

Bulut will consider tinkering with his Cardiff XI on the back of quickly being 2-0 down to Southampton last weekend.

Rubin Colwill, Ike Ugbo and Kion Etete will all feel that they are in contention for a recall in the final third.

Edwards will be forced to make at least two alterations to his Millwall starting lineup with Jake Cooper and George Saville both serving one-match suspensions.

Shaun Hutchinson and Allan Campbell appear most likely to be drafted into the centre of defence and midfield respectively.

While Ryan Longman and Duncan Watmore are each pushing for recalls, the rest of the side may stay the same.

Cardiff City possible starting lineup:

Runarsson; Ng, Goutas, McGuinness, Collins; Wintle, Siopis; Ugbo, Colwill, Grant; Meite

Millwall possible starting lineup:

Bialkowski; Leonard, Harding, Hutchinson, Wallace; Norton-Cuffy, Mitchell, Campbell, Honeyman; Flemming, Nisbet

We say: Cardiff City 2-1 Millwall

After a morale-boosting draw last time out, Edwards will hope that his Millwall side can now kick on. However, we feel that Cardiff will get back to winning ways in front of their own supporters, possibly having to come from behind to do so.

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