Image source, Getty Images

Matt Grimes has enjoyed great success in this fixture.

And he is firmly of the belief that form does not count for much ahead of tonight's game in Cardiff.

“With the window now closed and the chance to work on the training field, we are looking forward to cracking on, and hopefully getting a win,” he said.

“It’s no secret we have not won yet this season in the league, but this fixture does not need more adding to it.

“Whether you have won the opening five games, or lost the first five, this game stands alone.

“We all know the importance of it. It’s one for the fans and we are hopefully looking to get the first three points of the season, but ultimately the aim is to put smiles on the faces of the fans.

“There has been a lot of change, there are new players and new managers, it’s almost a clean slate.

“We have had good success in the past, but now we need to go again.”

Danny Gabbidon
Former Cardiff City and Wales defender on BBC Radio Wales

I'm fairly pleased with the Cardiff line-up.

I thought the midfield three of Ralls, Siopis and Ramsey worked really well at Ipswich.

I think they're starting to form relationships, there's a lot more freedom in that area.

Ryan Wintle coming in is a little bit surprising.

Sam Barrott is the match referee tonight.

The Yorkshire-based official oversaw Swansea's 3-2 loss to West Brom earlier this season.

He has never refereed a Cardiff game in his career and will be assisted by Craig Taylor and Sam Lewis.

Robert Madley is the fourth official tasked with keeping Erol Bulut and Michael Duff quiet near the dugouts.

Michael Duff has been bold. He's made five changes to the side that started the 2-1 loss to Bristol City before the international break.

Kristian Pedersen, Josh Tymon and Jamal Lowe all make their debuts while Joe Allen and Harry Darling also start.

Kyle Naughton misses out through injury while Harrison Ashby, Ben Cabango, Ollie Cooper and Liam Cullen drop to the bench.

Swansea City: Rushworth; Wood, Darling, Pedersen; Key, Allen, Grimes, Patino, Tymon; Yates, Lowe.

Subs: Fisher, Cabango, Humphreys, Ashby, Fulton, Cooper, Paterson, Ginnelly, Cullen.

Cardiff City captain Aaron Ramsey starts, having shaken off an injury which saw him substituted during Wales' win in Latvia on Monday.

There are two changes from the Bluebirds' 3-2 defeat at Ipswich Town a fortnight ago, with goalkeeper Jak Alnwick replacing Alex Runarsson and striker Ike Ugbo coming in for Ollie Tanner.

Cardiff: Alnwick; Ng, McGuinness, Goutas, Collins; Wintle, Siopis; Meite, Ramsey, Grant; Ugbo.

Subs: Runarsson, Ralls, Etete, Adams, Panzo, R. Colwill, Tanner, Rinomhota, Robinson.

Andy Robinson
Former Swansea City winger on BBC Radio Wales

"I think it's still early days [for Michael Duff] in terms of they're only five games into the season.

"I think he is still trying to work out what is his best starting eleven.

"It was always going to be difficult with the amount of players coming in."

Former Cardiff midfielder Joe Ledley and Swans icon Leon Britton have both had their say on tonight's game, and the overall size of the fixture.

It's safe to say, Ledley is more confident than he has been in previous years.

"You have got to give credit to Swansea," he said.

"They have dominated the last few derbies and it's been disappointing from a Cardiff perspective.

"I don't think they have been on the front foot in the recent games, they have sat in too deep.

"But I have been excited with Cardiff this season. Yes, results haven't gone our way, we have been unlucky, but I have watched the first two home games.

"There is a lot of positivity around the stadium."

Given Swansea's winless start to the campaign, Britton feels the result is key for the visitors tonight rather than a performance.

"He will want to get that win as soon as he can," he said.

"He is a new manager with different ideas and the players are still getting used to what he wants.

"They will have had a lot of time on the training pitch during the international break and will hope that comes through on Saturday, but the manager would take a 1-0 and not the greatest performance. He'll just be desperate for that win."

South Wales derby: Cardiff City aim to stop the rot as Swansea City eye five in a row

Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff City Stadium

A 7:45pm kick-off on a Saturday night takes some getting used to for a fixture which kicked off at 11am on a Sunday in 2009.

Even the early start couldn't contain the south Wales derby on that occasion, with the teams playing out a pulsating 2-2 draw, while referee Mike Dean was hit by a coin.

This is almost always an eventful encounter and, with a near full house under the lights at Cardiff City Stadium, tonight's games has the ingredients to be another cracker.

Image source, Getty Images

Cardiff defender Mark McGuinness was asked about Michael Duff's comments a fortnight ago.

"This game is important for everyone," said McGuinness.

"I think he [Duff] is wrong in that sense. Obviously everyone wants to get promoted but this, for the fans and players here, it does mean a lot.

"If that's his philosophy then that's his philosophy, but I'm sure the [Swansea] fans won't be happy with that one.

"It's always a big game for us and we enjoy playing these big games.

"We've had a tough few games leading up to it but we all know what these games mean. We are all looking forward to it."

Swans boss Duff 'wrong' to downplay game, says Cardiff's McGuinness

Image source, Getty Images

Michael Duff is under no illusions as to the magnitude of this fixture, despite comments he made after Swansea's 2-1 defeat to Bristol City before the international break.

"From my point of view, of course we want to win both games [against Cardiff] and get promoted," he said.

"I think I was caught on the hop in terms of a really disappointing performance after the Bristol City game. So was I focusing on the game in two weeks? No.

"This is one of these games that everyone knows about.

"I'm an outsider coming in here, but you know there are games in the UK that everyone knows about. This is one of them."

Swansea boss Michael Duff backtracks on downplaying Cardiff game

Tonight's game in the Welsh capital will be the 69th league meeting between the clubs.

It's incredible to think a league double had never been achieved in this fixture until the 2021-22 season.

And yet, Swansea have now achieved that feat twice in succession having beaten their rivals four times on the spin.

Cardiff's most recent win in the fixture came under Mick McCarthy whose side beat Steve Cooper's Swansea courtesy of an Aden Flint goal in March 2021.

Image source, Getty Images

Good evening!

It's a Saturday night derby under the lights.

What more could anyone ask for?

This one could get tasty. Strap yourselves in, folks.