Cardiff City (A) Match Preview
The Game
Cardiff City v Argyle. Cardiff City Stadium. Tuesday, 26 December. 3pm. Sky Bet Championship.
The Opposition
Cardiff are 10th in the Championship, with 33 points from 23 games. In their last eight games, they have had no draws, winning three and losing five.
In their most recent three games they lost 1-0 at home to Birmingham City then lost 3-0 away at Hull City, before winning on Saturday, 2-1 away at Sheffield Wednesday.
The Gaffer
Erol Bulut, 48, was appointed as Cardiff manager in the summer. German-born Bulut represented Turkey Under-21s during a playing career that took in stints at Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce, Olympiacos and more.
Having been an assistant at several clubs, he started his first managerial reign in 2017, with Yeni Malatyaspor in Turkey. He also managed Turkish sides Alanyaspor, Fenerbahce and Gaziantep, the last of whom he left in January 2023.
The Squad
Karlan Grant scored Cardiff's equalising goal in their win against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. Typically playing in and attacking position on the left flank, Grant has three goals this season from 20 starts and two substitute appearances. He is on loan from West Bromwich Albion, for whom Grant has played over 100 times since signing for a reported £15m in 2020. He has also played for Charlton Athletic and Huddersfield Town.
Mark McGuinness and Dimitrios Goutas have started every league game together in Cardiff's central defence. McGuinness, 22, came through the ranks at Arsenal, and had a loan at Ipswich Town, but joined Cardiff in the summer of 2021. Also having a loan spell with Sheffield Wednesday last season, McGuinness has now played 78 times for Cardiff. Goutas, who has three international caps for Greece, previously played for Olympiacos and Atromitos in his homeland, and most recently Sivasspor in Turkey.
The History
Argyle have played Cardiff 68 times. The Greens have won 24 of those encounters, 19 have been draws, and Cardiff have won the other 25.
The sides last met in league action in 2008/09. At Home Park, Cardiff won 3-1, then later in the season - on Boxing Day, in fact, Argyle won 1-0 through a goal by Gary Sawyer.
A Strip for the Trip
Argyle will be wearing their white away kit for this game.
Tickets
Tickets will NOT be available on the day of the game.
For a detailed update on collections and more, click here.
Argyle TV
Commentary will be provided from the Cardiff City Stadium by Rob McNichol and former Argyle defender Jon Beswetherick.
Argyle TV’s pre-match show, hosted by Charlie Price and Aaron Cusack, will begin at 2pm, and will be available to watch for free on YouTube.
The match is available for domestic and international supporters to stream on Argyle TV. Buy a match pass to watch the game, here.
