Next Up: Cardiff City vs Exeter City
City’s strong home form continues to keep Gary Caldwell’s side out of the bottom four at Christmas, and Caldwell will look to build on last Saturday’s stunning 3-0 win over a lacklustre Barnsley by attempting to cure City’s travelling blues with two away matches in four days, starting with arguably the most daunting away trip of the season. While City welcomed back Jack Fitzwater after he missed the defeat at Bolton through suspension, Pierce Sweeney picked up his fifth booking – reportedly in the tunnel at half time – and is therefore now set to miss a match. With Ed Turns and Johnly Yfeko still out, Sil Swinkels is likely to deputise for the skipper. Elsewhere Josh Magennis missed the Barnsley match after coming off at Bolton, but with Sonny Cox now working his way back to fitness City’s attacking options aren’t as stretched as they might have been.
Having suffered a surprise relegation, Cardiff were tipped along with Luton to be this season’s Birmingham. While the Bluebirds, under Brian Barry-Murphy, haven’t yet started to run away with things, they go into the Christmas period sitting comfortably three points clear of second placed Lincoln (despite losing to them last weekend) with a game in hand. Indeed that defeat was Cardiff’s second in a row, although the previous one could be excused as it was a 3-1 defeat to Chelsea in the EFL Cup quarter final. Cardiff have been free-scoring this season, with Yousef Salech in double figures in the league (11 in total), while there is experience all over the pitch such as Perry Ng. One player hoping to feature will be Joel Colwill, whose loan at City in the second half of last season earned mixed reviews, but his form has kicked on this season meaning he has followed his brother Rubin not just into the Cardiff line-up but also in earning his first cap for Wales.
The sides have met this season, with Cardiff edging out City 1-0 in the EFL Trophy, Callum Robinson on the scoresheet. Boxing Day will be City’s first visit to the Cardiff City Stadium, their last trip to Cardiff being when the hosts still played at Ninian Park, and it was a New Year’s Day to forget in 2001 with Noel Blake’s side on the receving end of a 6-1 hammering – which then led to tricky winger Francis Tierney being sacked by Blake in the dressing room after the match. Cardiff have the overall league head to head lead with 17 wins to City’s 12, seven matches finishing level.
The match officials for this game will be:-
Referee: Tom Reeves
Assistant Referees: Dean Treleaven and Steven Plane
Fourth Official: Harrison Blair
We last saw Tom Reeves take charge of an Exeter game on Boxing Day 2024 when Exeter beat Bristol Rovers 3-1 at St James Park. He’s taken charge of 17 games so far this season booking 56 players and sending one player off.
Interview with Gary Caldwell
Interview with Imari Niskanen