Kevin McNaughton available for Cardiff cup tie

Scottish defender Kevin McNaughton is Cardiff City's longest-serving player

Cardiff City will have defender Kevin McNaughton available for their Carling Cup semi-final first leg at Crystal Palace on Tuesday.

McNaughton has been suffering with a calf injury but has been declared fit for the tie at Selhurst Park.

The Bluebirds will continue to monitor the fitness of striker Rudy Gestede.

The French striker was forced off with an ankle injury in Cardiff's 4-2 FA Cup third round defeat at West Brom on Saturday.

Gestede was replaced by Joe Mason in the 41st minute at The Hawthorns on Saturday.

"He turned his ankle while he jumped," said Cardiff manager Malky Mackay.

"He's going to get some treatment today. We'll give him as much time as we can but other than that we've got a fully fit squad."

Full-back McNaughton limped off in Cardiff's Boxing Day draw at Watford with a calf injury and has missed the last three games.

"He's trained the last three days with the first-team and a week with the conditioning coaches before that," said Mackay.

"He's absolutely 100 percent ready to go."

Mackay rested top-scorer Kenny Miller, midfielders Peter Whittingham, Don Cowie, Aron Gunnarsson, defenders Mark Hudson, Andrew Taylor, Ben Turner and goalkeeper David Marshall for their cup tie at West Brom ahead of Tuesday's trip to Selhurst Park.

Having exited the FA Cup, Cardiff turn their attention to Tuesday's Carling Cup semi-final first leg against a Crystal Palace side they defeated 2-0 earlier in the season.

"The boys are in good spirits and ready to go," added Mackay. "We'll make sure we go there and give a good account of ourselves.

"We know what a tough game it's going to be. I know Dougie [Freedman, Palace manager] and his team and I know that's going to be a tough tie for us.

"But it's one that we go to and make sure we that we go there with everything we've got and be competitive.

"I've not been in any capacity to Wembley before and it's something that's in the back of everyone's mind obviously.

"We've got a tough double-header against a Championship club. But one Championship team is going to make the final of the Carling Cup this year at Wembley.

"It's a great achievement for the Championship in general because of the nature of the competition and [the] amount of teams who have, certainly in the latter rounds, put out strong teams."