Middlesbrough striker Scott McDonald, who recently underwent a hernia operation, will be assessed before manager Gordon Strachan names his team.
Defender Emanuel Pogatetz remains a doubt with the knee problem which kept him out of Austria's win over Denmark.
MATCH PREVIEW
Cardiff occupy the last play-off place and have been struggling recently - and Middlesbrough are one of the teams closing in on them. Gordon Strachan's men are only two points below the Welsh side and will go above them if they win Saturday's game.
The Bluebirds have lost their last two matches without scoring, while improving Boro have won three of their last five and are in the thick of the promotion race after recovering from a dismal spell earlier in the season.
Boro are ninth and have scored 11 more goals away from home than at the Riverside Stadium this season, while Cardiff are yet to win at home against a side in the top nine of the Championship.
But having sorted out his team's dismal home form, Strachan perhaps now needs to be concerned about their away results. Boro have lost their last two away matches without scoring
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Cardiff have won their last three matches against Middlesbrough, and are unbeaten in five meetings with them.
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• A 4-3 win at Cardiff in October 1970 is Middlesbrough's only victory in 11 away matches against the Bluebirds.
Cardiff
• Cardiff are in danger of losing three games in a row for the first time since November.
• They are making their fifth attempt to register the 100th win of Dave Jones' reign as City manager.
• Cardiff are the only club outside the bottom six not to have been involved in a goalless draw in this season.
• They have lost all seven league games in which they have failed to score, but have won all 10 in which they have kept a clean sheet.
• The Bluebirds have scored 56 goals from 198 shots on target this season, which is a conversion rate of 28% - the best in the division.
• Jay Bothroyd is two shy of 50 career league goals.
• Defender Kevin McNaughton could make his 350th appearance in Scottish and English club football.
Middlesbrough
• Boro have been awarded more penalties than any other club in the Championship this season (10), but only seven of those have been converted (two in their last game against QPR).
• They have used more players than any other club in the division, and 16 of the 37 players fielded have scored in the Championship this season.
• Blackpool are the only club this term to have completed a league double over the Teessiders.
MOST RECENT MEETING
Middlesbrough 0-1 Cardiff (13 December 2009 )
Cardiff scorer: Burke 61.
Source: BBC Sport
Source: BBC Sport