MATCH FACTS: CARDIFF vs MILLWALL

Russell Slade's Bluebirds are back on home soil this Saturday as Millwall visit Cardiff City Stadium. Cardiff City enter the game on the back of a battling performance at Ipswich Town but they will be looking to add three points to a good performance this time around. Millwall on the other hand are desperate for three points themselves as they try to narrow the five-point gap between them and safety.

He may be one of the oldest players in the league but David Forde is an integral part of the Millwall team. He has featured in every game so far and is the only player in their squad to make over 40 appearances and one of only two to make over 35 for the Londoners. The former Cardiff stopper is still first choice for the Republic of Ireland after some impressive showings for both club and country this season. Despite Millwall being in relegation battle Forde has kept the third most clean sheets in the division, keeping the score sheet blank 14 times, once every three games. Only Middlesbrough’s and Sheffield Wednesday’s Dimi Konstantopolous and Keiran Westwood have kept more teams to nil showing that the Irishman will be key if Millwall are to escape relegation in the final few games.

‘Wall have been short of goals this season but Magaye Gueye could still prove a threat on Saturday afternoon. It is not a huge total but the Senegalese striker has five goals and two assists in the league so far. He may have featured in 33 games but has only started eight fixtures and notched up just 1023 minutes on the pitch making his tally of goals and assists more impressive. The former Everton man is in form with 2 goals in his last three games, both after coming on as a substitute, if he enters the fray late on he could pop up with an important late goal.

Despite a valiant fight, the Bluebirds fell to a 3-1 defeat at promotion-chasing Ipswich Town on Tuesday night. Town had taken an early lead on eight minutes when Freddie Sears capitalised on a defensive error to give the home side the lead. City got themselves straight back into the game when Eoin Doyle headed home from close range from a brilliant Scott Malone cross within five minutes of falling behind. A 35 yard stunner from Cole Skuse restored Ipswich’s one goal cushion before a third goal sealed the Bluebirds’ fate in the 90th minute as Daryl Murphy scored his 24th of the season.

Cardiff City: Marshall, Peltier, Malone, Morrison, Ecuele Manga, Gunnarsson, Whittingham, Ralls (Pilkington), Fabio (Noone), Doyle (Harris), Mason. Subs Not Used: Moore, Adeyemi, O'Keefe, Kennedy.

Millwall came out on top in an ill-tempered affair that saw three red cards brandished, two for Wigan and one for the Lions. Martyn Waghorn was sent off for the visitors on the hour mark and Neil Harris’ men took advantage. Just over ten minutes after the incident Jimmy Abdou opened the scoring heading home from 12 yards after connecting with a Dan Harding delivery and Magaye Gueye doubled the deficit in the final minute. Before the final goal Jason Pearce and Ed Upson were both dismissed following a scuffle. 

Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Harding, Abdou, Nelson, Beevers, Martin (Gueye,), Williams (Bailey), Gregory, O'Brien (Woolford), Upson. Subs Not Used: Archer, Fuller, Taylor-Fletcher, Cowan-Hall.

The Bluebirds took to the field in front of the TV cameras in Saturday’s early kick-off, looking for their third win in seven days. Unfortunately, Danny Shittu’s goal – and subsequent late handball in the area that wasn’t penalised – meant the points stayed in Bermondsey.

Millwall: Forde, Shittu (c), Williams, Martin, Gregory, Briggs (Webster), Upson, Beevers, Fuller (Woolford), McDonald, Wilkinson. Subs Not Used: King, Onyedinma, O'Brien, Abdou, Chaplow.

Cardiff City: Marshall (c), Brayford, Fabio, S.Morrison, Manga, Whittingham, Gunnarsson (Ralls), Noone, Pilkington, Le Fondre (Maynard), Macheda (R.Morrison). Subs Not Used: Moore, Connolly, Daehli, Gabbidon.