If ever there was a time to end an eight game losing away streak then today is the day. Cardiff simply cannot afford to lose at West Brom or another club will become too far ahead for City to catch.
Albion would go six points ahead of Cardiff with far better goal difference if they win today. Cardiff have managed seven goals in their past three games so there is hope that they can find the back of the net at The Hawthorns.
With just seven games to go Cardiff need to win some games. Today would be a great time to start.
Early team news
Cardiff hope winger Craig Noone could be available for the Barclays Premier League relegation scrap at West Brom on Saturday.
Noone failed a fitness test ahead of last weekend's 6-3 home defeat against Liverpool, and assistant manager Mark Dempsey says he will be "looked at" on Saturday morning.
City boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could decide to retain the team that started the Liverpool game, especially after an outstanding first-half display when they twice led the title-chasers through goals from Jordon Mutch (two) and Fraizer Campbell.
Striker Victor Anichebe faces a fitness test on a hamstring problem ahead of the game.
Gareth McAuley (ankle) should be fit, Morgan Amalfitano and Diego Lugano (both knee) are back in training and could feature, but Claudio Yacob and Billy Jones (both hamstring) are out.
Jonas Olsson completes his two-match ban, while captain Chris Brunt (knee) remains out.
Match officials
Referee: Michael Oliver; Assistants: D England, G Beswick; Fourth Official: TBC
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Cardiff are unbeaten in the last five league meetings (W2, D3).
- December's reverse fixture at Cardiff was the first top-flight match between the two clubs since 1962.
West Bromwich Albion
- West Brom have lost just one of the last seven home league games, albeit against Manchester United in their last game at The Hawthorns (W1, D5, L1)
- The Baggies have won just two of their last 20 matches and kept one clean sheet in that period.
- Along with Arsenal and Hull City, West Brom have had the most individual goalscorers in the Premier League with 16, excluding own goals.
- Only Fulham have kept fewer clean sheets in the Premier League than West Brom's five.
Cardiff
- Cardiff have lost eight of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's 11 league games in charge (W2, D1, L8).
- Solskjaer scored in each of his two league matches as a player for Manchester United against West Brom, and was on the winning side in both.
- The Bluebirds have suffered eight league away defeats in a row. They last lost nine successive top-flight away matches between December 1928 and March 1929.
- They have the best disciplinary record in the division with just 46 bookings and no red cards.
- David Marshall has made a league-high 124 saves this season at a rate of 3.76 per match.
Teams
West Brom (from): Foster, Myhill, Reid, Ridgewell, McAuley, Dawson, Morrison, Sinclair, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Gera, Sessegnon, Anichebe, Vydra, Berahino, Bifouma, O'Neil, D Daniels, Amalfitano, Lugano.
Cardiff (from): Marshall, Lewis, Turner, Theophile-Catherine, Fabio, John, Caulker, Campbell, Daehli, Medel, Eikrem, Mutch, Noone, Kim, Jones, Cala, Bellamy, Zaha, Taylor, Whittingham, Gunnarsson, Cowie, McNaughton.