Cardiff host a Watford side with eyes on automatic promotion. The Hornets are tied on 66 points with Brentford and Swansea as all three contest the second spot (Norwich are 10 points ahead and look uncatchable)
For Cardiff it's a chance to keep up a serious play off challege. The two teams above us, Bournemouth v Barnsley play each other this weekend and the two teams below us Middlesbrough v Stoke play each other as well.
6th Barnsley 58
7th Bournemouth 56
8th Cardiff 54
9th Middlesbrough 50
10th Stoke 48
Xisco Munoz: “We know we need to go there like gladiators, play very hard and give our best, with power, intensity and ambition.
“We know what we need, it’s not easy the numbers they have. It’s excellent work from their coach, we have big respect for him.
"It’s important everybody knows this next game is an amazing challenge for us because we want to break this situation for them.
“Our team now has more time on the ball, creates more chances to score. We know we need to stay alert and pay attention with set pieces and we need to give them more problems.
"We have our style and our players and we’re hungry every game to take the points.”
Match facts
- This is the first meeting between Cardiff and Watford at the Cardiff City Stadium since February 2019 in the Premier League, a 5-1 win for the Hornets.
- Watford are looking to win three consecutive away league matches against Cardiff for the first time since September 2007.
- Cardiff are unbeaten in their last 11 league matches – all under Mick McCarthy – their best run since a 13-game stretch between January and April 2018 during their last Championship promotion-winning season.
- Only Norwich City (33) have won more Championship points since Xisco Muñoz’s first game in charge on Boxing Day than Watford (32).
- Cardiff’s Mick McCarthy last faced Watford in 2014-15 with Ipswich, completing a league double over the Hornets.
Match Officials:
Referee: KEITH STROUD
Assistants: Jonathan Hunt and Sam Lewis
Fourth Official : Kevin Johnson