A last-minute ‘Wonder Save’ from ‘keeper David Marshall saved Cardiff from defeat in their goalless home draw with Aston Villa. They’ll be desperate to take all three points against fellow strugglers Hull.
Marshall’s last-minute save topped-off an overall exceptional performance, the sort of which we have been seeing regularly from Cardiff’s number 1. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that Marshall made a total of 6 saves against Villa, which was the most in the league.
To focus simply on Marshall’s performance would not do justice to an good performance from the whole of Cardiff’s defence. Ben Turner, in particular, was in inspirational form, winning 5 tackles – the second most in the league. This figure is particularly impressive when one considers that Turner only attempted 5 challenges, winning every one.
Turner excelled in all areas of defence against the Villains, as in total, he made 26 defensive contributions (based on tackles won, blocks, interceptions and clearances). Again, this was more than any other player in the league and underlines his undeniable importance to Solskjaer’s team.
Craig Noone completed 4 dribbles against Paul Lambert’s men, taking his overall tally for the season to 29. This total is more than any other player in the Cardiff squad and showcases how integral his probing runs down the flank are to the Bluebirds’ offensive effort. You can find Noone at 23/2 to score at any time with 888sport.com.
Signing Magnus Wolff Eikrem was one of the first moves that Solskjaer made when taking the reins at The Cardiff City Stadium. The Cardiff manager has praised the midfielder’s range of passing, and when looking at the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, it isn’t difficult to see why. Since arriving in Wales, the former Heerenveen man has completed a pass in the opposition half at an impressive rate of a pass every 2.6 minutes.
Steve Bruce takes his Hull side to Cardiff off the back of a disappointing home defeat at the hands of Southampton.
Signing Nikica Jelavic was a clever move by Steve Bruce, as if the Croatian rediscovers his goal-scoring form, he will be a major asset in the Tiger’s fight against relegation. The former Everton man demonstrated his eye for goal against the Saints, as he registered a total of 4 shots – the second most in the league. Jelavic is 15/2 with 888sport.com to score the first goal on Saturday.
Ahmed Elmohammady’s 4 crosses against the Saints took his overall tally for the season up to 30. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that this is the most in not just the Hull squad, but also the league as a whole. Steve Bruce will be hoping that new signings Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long can get their heads on the ball, when the Egyptian swings in a teasing cross.
Alex Bruce will have been desperate to ‘live for the moment’ this year, as this season is the first time that he has featured regularly in the Premier League. In the 12 appearances that he has made this season to date, Bruce hasn’t let himself, his team or even his father down, with his tackling being a particular highlight. The EA SPORTS Player Performance shows that he has won an impressive 79% of his challenges this term.
Tom Huddlestone has made a huge impression on Humberside, with many pundits tipping him for a surprise place on the plane to Brazil this Summer. His importance to Steve Bruce’s men can be underlined by the fact that he has featured in 2279 minutes this term – more than any other player in the Hull squad.