Cardiff V Scunthorpe Preview

TEAM NEWS
Cardiff City will assess Aaron Ramsey (knee) and Kevin McNaughton (hamstring) ahead of the game.

Peter Whittingham has been carrying a knock but hopes to play, while Lee Naylor will return after missing the defeat against Swansea through illness.

Scunthorpe are again beset by injuries, but Abdisalam Ibrahim is available after serving a suspension.

Keeper Joe Murphy is still out, along with Rob Jones, Niall Canavan, Cliff Byrne, Garry Thompson and David Mirfin.


MATCH PREVIEW
Third-placed Cardiff - and Craig Bellamy in particular - have hit form. Their victory against arch rivals and fellow promotion hopefuls Swansea on Sunday took their unbeaten sequence to five games.

Bellamy's late winner at the weekend was the striker's third goal in as many games, and he has now scored in four consecutive home matches. Keeping him fit during the rest of the campaign could be crucial to the Bluebirds' chances of reaching the Premier League.

Scunthorpe's aim is to stay in the Championship. They are next-to-bottom of the table, are looking for a first win in seven league games, and have taken only one point in 2011. They also have the division's worst defensive record, having shipped 51 goals in 27 matches.

They will need to tighten up on Saturday - especially early on. Cardiff have tended to start games strongly and 11 of their goals - almost a quarter of their overall total - have been scored in the opening 15 minutes of matches.


MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Scunthorpe have won only one of the last 16 league matches between these clubs.

• A win for Cardiff would complete their first league double over The Iron since the 2000/01 campaign, when both sides were in the bottom division.

• Scunthorpe have won on only one of their last 11 league visits to Cardiff over 20 years: a 1-0 victory at Ninian Park in October 1995.

Cardiff
• A win for Cardiff would complete their third league double of the season. They have already beaten Coventry and Leeds both home and away.

• The Bluebirds have won three and drawn two games since their last defeat: a 3-0 loss against Bristol City on New Year's Day.

• They have picked up 11 points out of the last available 15 at home.

• Striker Jay Bothroyd is in line for his 150th league appearance for the club.

Scunthorpe United
• Scunthorpe have lost 11 of their last 12 league games.

• All but one of their seven Championship wins have come away from home. But they have lost their last three away games without scoring a goal, and conceded nine in the process.

• No club has fielded more players in the second tier this season than The Iron, who have used 34.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/9390026.stm