Predicted Wolves side to face Cardiff: Key man out for Lambert

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Here is how we expect Wolverhampton Wanderers and Cardiff City to line-up for their Championship encounter this weekend.

To be played on Saturday 1st April 2017 at 16:00. Venue: Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton

Odds: Wolves 11/10, Draw 12/5, Cardiff 12/5

Wolverhampton Wanderers host Cardiff City at Molineux this weekend – with Paul Lambert’s Midlanders in search of their fourth successive league victory to widen their distance from the Championship’s dreaded relegation zone.

Indeed, in-form Wanderers head into the game against 13th placed Cardiff on the back of an admirable 3-1 defeat of play-off hopefuls Fulham last time out.

Consequently, Lambert is likely to continue with a similar starting XI that downed the Cottagers – meaning that Andreas Weimann could continue his central role ahead of Nouha Dicko and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson; whilst Ben Marshall, Ivan Cavaleiro and the talismanic Helder Costa are also set to retain their spots.

Weimann, Cavaleiro and captain Danny Batth are all walking a suspension tightrope though, as the trio find themselves just one further caution away from a ban.

Despite a sense of improved defensive stability in recent weeks, Lambert may well be unable to call upon his number one stopper Carl Ikeme for the visit of Neil Warnock’s Cardiff.

Ikeme, who has been a key man for Wanderers throughout the season, picked up a hamstring injury whilst on international duty with Nigeria last week – meaning that Lambert will need to opt for either 20-year-old Harry Burgoyne or veteran Andy Lonergan to face the Bluebirds this weekend.

Meanwhile, opponents Cardiff – who will be buoyed by their own upturn in fortunes this season following a rise from 23rd to 13th place in the table since Warnock’s appointment – welcome Bruno Ecuele-Manga back into the fold after the defender’s recovery from a knee injury suffered at the African Cup of Nations.

The likelihood is, though, that the Gabon international will not disrupt the strong central defensive pairing of Sol Bamba and Sean Morrison at the heart of Warnock’s back line.

Here is our predicted line-up for both Wolverhampton Wanderers and Cardiff City, in full: