Cardiff City v Birmingahm City. Match preview

Last updated : 11 March 2017 By Michael Morris

Cardiff are waiting on Aron Gunnarsson ahead of Birmingham's Sky Bet Championship visit writes Sky Sports

The Icelandic midfielder missed the midweek draw at Blackburn after being one of several Cardiff players to be hit by a virus in camp this week. Defender Bruno Ecuele Manga and striker Rickie Lambert are close to returning after injuries.

Anthony Pilkington, who has not started since the end of January, also managed a late cameo appearance at Blackburn, but Lee Peltier, Rhys Healey and Matthew Connolly remain out.

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Clayton Donaldson is closing in on a return to first-term action for Birmingham after three months on the sidelines with a heel problem. The striker last featured in a senior game on December 13 but played 45 minutes for the under-23 team on Wednesday, netting a penalty.

Jacques Maghoma, who returned from a knee injury as a very late substitute in Tuesday's defeat by Wigan, also played 45 minutes and could be pushing for a place in the starting line-up.

Under-fire manager Gianfranco Zola named the same team for the third match running against Latics but, after seven defeats in their last nine matches, could well make changes this time.

Opta stats

Cardiff have won three of their last four home league games against Birmingham, drawing the other.

Neither side has scored more than two goals in any of the last 22 league matches between the teams, with Birmingham the last to do so in a 3-0 win in December 1971.

Neil Warnock's side have won four of their last six home league games (D1 L1), keeping a clean sheet in each victory.

Birmingham won their last away league game, 2-1 at Wolves. They've not won consecutive games on the road since a run of three in October 2015.

The Bluebirds have lost seven points from leading positions in their last three league games, having lost just 11 in the 33 games prior to this run.

The Blues have conceded a league-high 21 goals from set piece situations this season (excluding penalties).

Match officials:

Referee: Peter Banks
Assistants: Timothy Wood, Daniel Leach
Fourth Official: Dean Whitestone