TEAM NEWS Middlesbrough could hand a debut to new signing Sammy Ameobi after the striker joined on loan from Newcastle. Central defender Andre Bikey could be ruled out following a hamstring injury, but Jonathan Woodgate has a chance of returning after a calf injury. Cardiff will be without captain Mark Hudson after the centre-back picked up an ankle injury, Ben Nugent could come in to replace him. Kevin McNaughton could also feature at right-back if Mackay shuffles his pack. MATCH FACTS Head-to-head • Cardiff were on a near impregnable home run when they beat Middlesbrough 1-0 in November through a Matthew Connolly goal. It was the Bluebirds' ninth successive home win this season and ended Middlesbrough's eight-match unbeaten league run. • Boro are looking for their first point and first goal in three games against the Welsh club, and although they have won six of the last eight home league matches against them, have also lost and failed to score in two of the previous three at the Riverside. • Three points for the visitors would also see Cardiff notching a second double over the Teesside club in four seasons. Middlesbrough • Middlesbrough have won one of nine league games, and have lost three of their last four at home. • Wednesday's 2-0 defeat by Chelsea in the FA Cup was the first time Boro had failed to score at the Riverside this season, but they remain the only club to have found the net in every home Championship game this term. • Tony Mowbray's side have the longest list of goalscorers in the Championship, comprising 18 different players. Cardiff City • Cardiff are on course for their first taste of top-flight football in 51 years, being eight points clear at the top, and chasing a ninth win in 12 Championship games. • The Bluebirds are unbeaten in nine away league outings, and are striving to register a fifth Championship victory on the road in 2013. • Malky Mackay's side have dropped 11 fewer points in this division than any other club (29).
HaHa , you must have been on the p1ss all day pal dunno about your misses but Mowbray seems a bloody strikingly good looking guy from where I'm sitting ( fug me ! where ave I put my bottle of meths )
Worrying if it is one man making the difference. Connolly and Turner aren't inexperienced youngsters.
Always the same when Connolly plays at CB is it coincidental? but when Nugent plays at CB we seem more secure at the back IMO
Haha even though we lost it was an entertaining last few minutes, just bad defend for first 20 mins! But after that we were on top. Why bring HH on what's Mason doing wrong???
Still ahead of the 2 point per game average. Just need to get back on track against Derby now. Not worry about other teams just do our stuff.
Hull can do us a favour tuesday night by beating palace and knocking them out of it, then we only got watford to worry about as we dont care who comes second. jck .
Just watched the lowlights on I Player. What the hell was McNuggs doing for their first goal? First of all he misses a simple header for the cross field ball (just as he did against Peterborough) and then Miller did him down the outside. I haven't seen that happen to Kev for quite some time. No wonder he was taken off at half time (was going to say pulled off but that would just not have been right). I have always advocated putting him in when Hudson wasn't playing with Connolly to centre back but clearly that must not happen on Tuesday. Nugent must play alongside Turner with McNuggs benched again.
