Cardiff City

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Cardiff City boss Omer Riza says Kion Etete and Isaak Davies are inching towards returns for the Bluebirds.

The forwards, who are yet to play this season, both suffered setbacks having been expected back in October following hamstring injuries.

Etete was named in the starting line-up for the Bluebirds' under-21 side in their Premier League Cup match against Watford on Thursday, 19 December as Cardiff won 3-1.

Wales Under-21 striker Davies is also nearing a return having started running.

Defender Perry Ng and midfielder Ollie Tanner remain sidelined with injury and they have been joined by forward Michael Reindorf prior to Saturday's home game against Championship leaders Sheffield United.

"Michael Reindorf went down injured [on Thursday]. He hurt his ankle and I'm not sure the extent of that yet," Riza told BBC Sport Wales.

"The others, Isaak is starting to do some running on the pitch and we will hopefully incorporate him in football stuff over the next week. Kion will be getting minutes with the under-21s and all the rest are either long-standing or medium-term.

"Perry Ng is still not quite there yet, Ollie Tanner the same. We are a bit thin at the moment, but all the boys are ready to go into the game confident and with fighting spirit."

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Cardiff City boss Omer Riza says he will not rule out a return to the club for Ryan Wintle, but believes he might not want to rejoin the Bluebirds due to a lack of game time.

Wintle joined Millwall on loan after falling out of favour with previous manager Erol Bulut.

"The potential for that to happen [Wintle returning in January] could be there, but when Ryan left the building it's because he wanted to play more football regularly and that could probably be a potential issue again if he came back in the building and that could bring frustrations with it," Riza explained.

"Currently we have three, four, five midfielders in the building, granted there are a few injuries. Ryan Wintle is a good player. He has gone out on loan, he has played here a while and he has got good qualities."

Riza says youngster Joel Colwill could be moved to a higher level of football after excelling this season at Cheltenham Town.

The 20-year old has been involved in nine goals for Cheltenham in 24 appearances and the Wales youth international was also nominated for League Two player of the month.

Riza says he think Colwill should remain out on loan, but ideally with a club in League One.

"Joel has been excellent," Riza said. "We are always keeping an eye on him and watching games, casting an eye, making sure we are talking to him."

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Omer Riza says he is "looking forward" to his first transfer window as a manager but has not yet had any recruitment meetings with the Cardiff City hierarchy.

The Bluebirds are a point outside the Championship relegation zone ahead of Saturday's home game against league leaders Sheffield United.

Riza says he wants to be proactive in the market but is yet to discuss his plans with Cardiff's owners.

"Fans always want new signings, of course," the Cardiff boss Riza told BBC Sport Wales.

"We are always talking about players, whether it be signings or free agents, we've got a long list and a short list.

"We are scheduled to have meetings with the board, which I am sure will happen soon."

Riza says he has a clear idea as to what Cardiff, who are without a win in seven games, need to do in January.

He anticipates that there will be departures from the Welsh capital as well as new faces arriving.

"I think there will be an option of loans or permanent signings, it all depends on what the remit is after we've had a discussion and had our conversations about how we approach it," he said.

"I am looking forward to it. I want things to start moving - I don't want it to all come in a rush at the end.

"I have been preparing for a while. I have a list of players, I have been doing my homework for positions we need to strengthen. We've been looking abroad and at home.

"Once we've sat down we will know more. There will be outgoings, potentially senior outgoings and younger players as well."

Table-topping Sheffield United head to Cardiff looking to at least maintain their three-point lead over closest rivals Leeds.

With rock-bottom Hull City and third-bottom Portsmouth both playing at lunchtime, the Bluebirds could find themselves back in the Championship relegation zone by the time the game kicks-off.

• Cardiff City have lost each of their past four league games against Sheffield United, as many as across their prior 18 meetings with the Blades combined (W7 D7).

• Sheffield United have lost just one of their past six away league games against Cardiff City (W3 D2), a 2-0 defeat in August 2017.

• Cardiff have failed to win any of their past five league games against sides from Yorkshire (D1 L4), conceding 15 goals in total during that time.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten across their past five away league games (W3 D2), scoring exactly two goals in four of those matches. The Blades haven't enjoyed a longer run on their travels since a run of seven matches ending in February 2023.

• Both teams have scored in just five of Sheffield United's 21 Championship matches so far this season (24%) – the lowest tally in the competition.

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Freyr Alexandersson, the Icelandic coach linked with Cardiff City in the recent past, has left Belgian club Kortrijk.

Alexandersson was one of the names under consideration at Cardiff following the departure of manager Erol Bulut in September, with reports in the Belgian media at the time suggesting he got as far as coming to Wales for talks.

Those reports were denied, with Alexandersson insisting his departure from Kortrijk "was not on the agenda".

Last May, Alexandersson had said he would "love to coach Cardiff at some point" having been praised for saving Kortrijk from relegation from the Belgian top flight.

However, he has now left Kortrijk – where Cardiff owner Vincent Tan is the majority shareholder – after a 3-0 home defeat to Dender left them 14th in the 16-team Belgian Pro League.

Earlier this month, Cardiff gave manager Omer Riza a contract until the end of the season after he spent more than two months as interim boss.

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Joe Ralls feels Cardiff City can cause Sheffield United problems when the Bluebirds host the Blades in south Wales on Saturday (15:00 GMT kick-off).

Omer Riza's side let a lead slip late on to draw 2-2 with Stoke City last time out while Chris Wilder's side head to the Welsh capital having not lost in 10 league matches.

They moved three points clear at the top of the Championship table on Saturday after beating Plymouth Argyle 2-0 at Bramall Lane.

But captain Ralls feels Cardiff will stand a chance of causing an upset against the league leaders if they replicate their performance from Saturday's draw with Stoke.

"It's a tough game, but it's a good game. The fans will get right behind us," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"We know it's a tough challenge but it's one that we're looking forward to.

"If we perform like that (against Stoke) which is the standard we have to set now, we have to keep that, not for a few games, but for the rest of the season.

"We'll have a chance, we'll create problems for them and we'll have an opportunity to get some points."

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Cardiff City's performance at Stoke City is proof the Bluebirds have the quality and fight to avoid relegation from the Championship, according to captain Joe Ralls.

The Bluebirds looked on course for a first away league triumph of the season after a Ben Gibson own goal along with an Anwar El Ghazi effort saw them lead 2-1 at the bet365 Stadium.

But Gibson atoned for his own goal in added time as he equalised for the Potters to ensure the points were shared.

The draw leaves Omer Riza's side just one point above the bottom three after 20 matches, but Ralls believes the overall performance against Stoke demonstrated that the Bluebirds have the fight in them to stay in the second tier.

"I believe we do, we're a good side, we've got a good group of lads in there that are trying hard," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"Sometimes performances don't show how much it means to us. That's disappointing and that's something we've talked about.

"I think we showed today there's a group in there that are fighting. We can't feel sorry for ourselves because we've let in a goal at the end and lost a couple of points.

"We've got to take that performance and standard that we set today, keep that going for the rest of the season and we'll get enough points to have a good season."

Riza had blasted his players in the aftermath of the 2-0 defeat by Preston North End at Cardiff City Stadium three days before the contest with Stoke.

And while the visitors let their lead slip in the final stages against Stoke, Ralls says the Bluebirds can be pleased with their response to the Preston loss.

"The way the game went, we're obviously devastated. I thought we played really well," said Ralls.

"The performance on Wednesday [against Preston], we talked about it, it was unacceptable for us as a group.

"We fell right below the standards we want to set at the football club. All you can do after it is talk about it, put it right and try and have the response.

"We owed the fans a performance and I think we gave them that. It's just so annoying we couldn't get over the line.

"I thought we were well worth the three points, it just didn't quite happen for us in the end."

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Manager Omer Riza praised Cardiff City for their draw at Stoke City as a reaction to what he called the worst performance of his tenure in the defeat by Preston in their previous outing.

Saturday's 2-2 draw at the bet365 Stadium extended Cardiff's winless run to seven games but took them out of the Championship's relegation zone.

The Bluebirds were unfortunate not to claim their first away win of the season as Ben Gibson scored Stoke's equaliser five minutes into added time.

And in terms of performance, it was a vast improvement on Wednesday's dismal display as Cardiff lost at home to a Preston side who had failed to win in 10 matches.

"The Preston performance was the worst since I've been in charge," Riza told BBC Radio Wales.

"I wasn't happy and made the players aware of that.

"We've come away today [Saturday at Stoke] and we should have won and the performance was better. We needed three points but we didn't get them.

"We needed a reaction from the Preston game and we got that I feel."

Next up for Cardiff is a daunting home game against Championship leaders Sheffield United on Saturday, 21 December (15:00 GMT).

After the meek defeat against Preston, Riza is glad to be facing the Blades off the back of a better display at Stoke.

"All the players, to a man, were excellent. We just didn't quite do enough to get the win," he added.

"It was a great reaction but we're just disappointed not to get the three points we really needed."

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Cardiff City go to Stoke City on Saturday (15:00 GMT) with Omer Riza plotting changes to his starting side – and potentially his system – on the back of their dismal home defeat by Preston North End.

The Bluebirds produced the most dispiriting performance of a turbulent campaign as they succumbed to a Preston side who had not won away all season before Wednesday night.

It is now a six games without a win for Cardiff, whose form has dipped alarmingly after an initial upturn after Riza took charge in September following the sacking of Erol Bulut.

"The drop-off has been coming over three or four games," Riza said.

"I think the first block [of games] really caught up with the players. They had to knuckle down to get back to where they got to.

"Now we have had a few injuries which haven't helped, but the performances need to be better. It might force my hand in respect of the way we play system-wise. Maybe I'll tweak that.

"I will always want to be on the front foot and want to attack, but there will be a few tweaks and a few things we need to discuss."

Cardiff travel to Stoke having avoided defeat in their last two away games, though they have not won on road as yet this season.

The Potters are also under pressure to deliver a result after three straight defeats and no win in their last six games.

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Iwan Roberts says Cardiff City must sharpen up or face the drop after watching the Bluebirds slump to defeat against Preston North End.

Cardiff were beaten on their own patch by a struggling Preston side who had not won away this season before their midweek trip to Wales.

The Bluebirds were booed off after their latest setback, with Omer Riza's team in the Championship bottom three going into Saturday's game at Stoke City.

"There's a lack of energy. they are pedestrian - they have become so predictable," former Wales striker Roberts told this week's Feast of Football podcast.

"Some of the players are playing like prima donnas at the minute. They look scared of making mistakes. They are not going into certain areas just in case they get the ball [because] if they make a mistake, they get a negative reaction from the supporters."

Roberts is unimpressed by Riza's suggestion that Cardiff's players were tired following an upturn in form after the sacking of Erol Bulut which saw them claim 14 points from seven matches.

Since then, Cardiff have failed to win in six to slip from 17th in the table to 22nd.

"I think they have got too good a squad to go down, but there have been better squads who have been relegated from this division," Roberts added.

"If they don't sharpen up, they are going to be bang in trouble.

"They came close two years ago – they got away with it by the skin of their teeth because of Reading's points deduction. They are in a similar situation now."

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Stoke City boss Narcis Pelach posted a social media message to fans this week after they lost a third game on the spin with the Potters 18th and just four points above the bottom three.

Cardiff City occupy one of those positions are on a six-game winless streak with Omer Riza demanding a reaction following the midweek defeat to Preston North End.

• Stoke City have failed to win any of their past eight league games against Cardiff City (D5 L3) since a 2-0 home win in February 2020.

• Cardiff are unbeaten in their past four away league games against Stoke (W1 D3), with each of the past three ending in a draw.

• Stoke have won just one of their past six home league games (D4 L1) and could fail to score in three successive such games for the first time since December 2023.

• Cardiff are winless in 11 successive away league games (D5 L6); their longest such run since November 2014; they last endured a longer such run in March 2014 as a Premier League side (13 games).

• Cardiff have shipped 37 away league goals in 2024, their most in a single year since 2019 (also 37), last conceding more back in 2014 (41).

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Cardiff City winger Ollie Tanner could miss a number of Cardiff City's festive fixtures because of a knee injury.

Tanner has made 19 appearances this season, scoring twice, but was missing from Omer Riza's squad for Wednesday's miserable home defeat to Preston North End.

"He has hurt his knee - he had a problem with his knee for two or three games," Riza said.

"We had a scan on it and it looks like he is out for two or three weeks. Hopefully it's not more than that."

Cardiff are back in action at Stoke City on Saturday, before they host high-flying Sheffield United in their final pre-Christmas fixture on 21 December.

The Bluebirds go to Oxford United on 26 December and are at Watford three days later, with a return home to face Coventry City on New Year's Day.

Wilfried Kanga also has a knee issue, but could be in contention to feature at Stoke having last played on 23 November.

The on-loan striker is yet to score in 14 appearances for Cardiff, and Riza has acknowledged that he may return to parent-club Hertha Berlin in January.

"Potentially with players coming in and players going out, that could be a possibility but it's not 100% certain yet what's going on," Riza said.

"There is something in the contract that says if we are not happy, something can be done."

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Former Wales striker Iwan Roberts believes Cardiff City have a "great opportunity" to return to winning ways when they host Preston North End tonight.

The Bluebirds have not won since beating Norwich City 2-1 on 2 November, with two draws and three defeats following that encounter.

But Roberts told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast he feels Omer Riza's side could have ended their winless run at Coventry City at last weekend.

"All of a sudden, they've lost their last two at home to Blackburn and to QPR, but Preston are in a horrendous run," Robert said.

"Cardiff are the joint lowest scorers in the Championship, Preston the joint second lowest scorers in the Championship.

"I'm not expecting a feast of goals, that has to be said, but Cardiff were unlucky at Coventry. I thought that was a game they could have won."

Preston are without a win in their last nine league games, though seven of those have been draws.

Roberts says Cardiff's players will be keen to help Riza land a first win since he was appointed manager until the end of the season.

"Preston haven't won away from home this season, but they have drawn five of their nine away games," Roberts added.

"So I think it will be tight. I think it will be close, but I think unlike his first game as caretaker manager, when they went up to Hull and lost 4-1, I've got a feeling that the Cardiff players will be determined to go out and put in a performance and get the first three points for Omer Riza as full-time head coach at Cardiff City."

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Former Cardiff City boss Neil Harris is to step down as Millwall head coach - even though the Lions are 11th in the Championship, six points off the play-offs.

Harris will leave the job after Saturday's trip to Middlesbrough, which follows a final game in charge at The Den tomorrow against Sheffield United.

Milwall chairman James Berylson said Harris "felt it was the right time to step down from the role", 10 months after returning for a second spell in charge.

Millwall were one point above the relegation zone when Harris took over in February last season and he went on to steer them to 13th in the Championship.

They have won six of their 18 games so far this season, with Saturday's home defeat to Frank Lampard's Coventry their first loss in 10 games - although they did not register a single shot on target.

Harris lost 1-0 on his first return to Cardiff as a manager on 1 October, a result that earned Omer Riza his first win as Bluebirds' interim boss.

Harris was sacked by Cardiff in January 2021 after a run of six consecutive defeats.

The previous season he led Cardiff to the Championship play-off semi finals after succeeding Neil Warnock as manager.

Harris had spells in charge of Gillingham and Cambridge United before returning to Millwall for a fifth different spell at the club as player or manager.

"Everyone knows this club is more than a job to me, it's my club, and always will be," Harris said.

"I always said when I returned that I would leave when the time felt right, and now is that time."

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Cardiff City's current five-match winless run is their worst since they sacked Erol Bulut in September.

The Welsh side have lost their past two at home, which followed a sequence of four successive victories at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Preston North End are one of only four Championship sides yet to win away from home this season.

• Cardiff have lost two of their past three league games against Preston, having remained unbeaten against the Lancashire side across their prior seven such meetings (W4 D3).

• Preston have won just two of their past 14 away league games against Cardiff (D6 L6), failing to score in four of their past five such matches.

• Preston have only won three of their past 24 away league games against Welsh sides (D6 L15), although one of those was at Cardiff last term (2-0).

• Cardiff have lost both of their past two midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games, last losing three in a row in November 2022.

• Preston's Paul Heckingbottom has won each of his past four Championship meetings with Cardiff (all with Sheffield United) since a 1-0 defeat with Barnsley in November 2017.