The Bluebirds welcome Sheffield United to Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The fixture will take place on December 21st, with a kick off time of 3pm.
OPPOSITION FOCUS | IN THE DUGOUT
Sheffield United’s manager is Chris Wilder, who was appointed for his second spell in charge of the Blades back in December 2023.
Wilder started his managerial career at non-league side Alfreton Town. During the season he spent there, he won four trophies, before moving to Halifax Town.
He spent six years at Halifax Town, until the club went into liquidation in 2008 when he joined Bury as assistant manager.
After six months at Gigg Lane in December 2008, Wilder moved to Oxford United in the National League. He led the U’s back to the Football League in his first full season in charge. He continued in the role until January 2014, when he joined Northampton Town.
Wilder continued to impress, as he led Northampton Town to the League Two title in his second season in charge.
In May 2016, he joined his boyhood side Sheffield United. During his first spell at the Blades, he secured promotion from both League One and the Championship and guided his side to a ninth place finish in their first season back in the top flight.
He then went on to have spells at Middlesbrough and Watford before returning for his second stint in charge of Sheffield United.
OPPOSITION FOCUS | SEASON SO FAR
The visitors come into this weekend’s fixture top of the Sky Bet Championship.
Sheffield United have impressed this season, currently leading in the second tier by three points.
The Blades have picked up 45 points in 21 games and have only conceded 11 times.
Last time out, Wilder’s side defeated Plymouth Argyle 2-0 at Bramall Lane. An early goal from Gustavo Hamer and a late penalty from former Bluebird Kieffer Moore secured all three points for the Blades.
OPPOSITION FOCUS | KEY PLAYER
Sheffield United’s key player this season has been Hamer, who joined the club from Coventry City in 2023.
Since signing for the Yorkshire outfit, he has gone on to make 46 league appearances, scoring nine times.
So far this campaign, the Brazilian-born midfielder, who represented the Netherlands at youth level, has contributed a goal or assist every other game, recording ten goals and assists in 20 Championship appearances.
Hamer scored last time he graced the pitch for the Blades against Plymouth Argyle with a thunder strike from distance to help his side increase their advantage at the top of the Championship.
CLUB CONNECTION | KIEFFER MOORE
Moore joined Cardiff City in August 2020 from Wigan Athletic.
The Welsh International impressed in his first season for the Bluebirds, netting 20 league goals in 42 appearances.
Moore’s fine scoring form continued the following season, scoring five times in 22 games in the first half of the 2021/22 season, before earning a move to promotion-chasing Bournemouth.
The attacker secured a place in the Premier League with the Cherries, before doing the same during a loan spell at Ipswich Town, prior to joining Sheffield United.
Since joining the Blades at the start of this campaign, Moore has made 16 appearances, finding the back of the net three times.