THE OPPOSITION

Cardiff City's quest for back-to-back Play-Off campaigns appears to be at an end, heading to Brentford tonight without a win in four and 11 points off the top six with only 12 points available.

Cardiff's final game before the international break was a 1-0 South Wales derby win over Swansea City which left them just four points off the top six with eight games to play. However, it looks like that break came at the wrong time for Mick McCarthy's men who have taken just two points from four since.

That they were even involved in the Play-Off conversation shows the job McCarthy has done since coming in for Neil Harris in January. The former Republic of Ireland boss took over a side that had lost their last six, and was sliding down the table at pace, and took them on a six game winning run early on in his tenure.

The Bluebirds have enjoyed their away travels this campaign. Only Norwich City (4) have lost fewer games on the road than them while only The Canaries, Swansea City, and Brentford, have earned more points on the road.

Talisman striker Kieffer Moore (above) is their top scorer with 17 goals this term. The Wales international has also won 128 more headers than anyone else in the second tier. The Bluebirds also have Sean Morrison and Curtis Nelson in the top eight of that particular metric.

TEAM NEWS

Thomas confirmed on Monday that we'll be without Henrik Dalsgaard (knee), Shandon Baptiste (knee), Rico Henry (hamstring), Josh Dasilva (hip), and Luka Racic (back) again.

For Cardiff, Sean Morrison has missed their last four, Joe Bennett is out with a knee injury as are Lee Tomlin (thigh), Joel Bagan (shoulder), Isaac Vassell (quad), and Sol Bamba (illness).

THE MANAGER

Mick McCarthy passed 1000 games in management earlier this season with the 62-year-old showing no signs of calling time on an illustrious football career any time soon. The former defender made nearly 600 professional appearances for Barnsley, Manchester City and Celtic in his playing days, winning two promotions with Barnsley, one at Maine Road, and three trophies with Celtic. He also earned 57 caps for the Republic of Ireland before going on to manage them for six years, taking them to the 2002 World Cup Knockouts in Japan and South Korea.

At club level, he's twice won second tier promotion, with Sunderland in 2005 and Wolverhampton Wanderers four years later, picking up the LMA Manger of the Year prize in both those years. He took Ipswich Town to the Play-Offs in 2014/15 before a second spell in charge of Ireland between 2018 and 2020.

THOMAS' THOUGHTS

PRE-MATCH VIEWS

⚖ Darren England will be the man in charge this evening

🆚 Glen Williams of Wales Online previews The Bluebirds

LAST TIME OUT

HOW TO FOLLOW

Tuesday's game is a co-exclusive game so is live on Sky Sports and iFollow Brentford.

Season Ticket and Premium Seat Members have VIP access to watch the game while £10 match passes (£7 international fans) are also available to follow all the action from TW8

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