Will Cardiff suffer a backlash as City return to action?

Cardiff City find themselves in an uneviable position as they line up against Manchester City in their 3pm kick off on Saturday.

Manchester City are coming off the back of an embarrassing and lacklustre performance against Lyon and we all know Pep Guardiola will have read his players the riot act in preparation. But what we don’t know is how those players will respond.

Will they knuckle down and seek to make reparation unleashing a goal fest against Cardiff of biblical proportions? Or will they confirm the for has set in and deliver more abject complacency?

The bookies are erring on the side of caution offering 16/1 for a Cardiff victory. That may be more to do with Cardiff and the struggles they have so far had in their five games since returning to the top flight of football in the summer. Cardiff has amassed 2 draws and 3 defeats so far. Draws against Newcastle and Huddersfield have not inspired confidence though.

One of the strengths of their promotion season was Neil Warnock created a workmanlike side. No one liked them and no one cares. Out muscling sides on their road to promotion. This season has so far seen Warnock second guessing his tried and tested approach. Cardiff have been open so far and attempted to play and have been woefully exposed as a consequence.

Of course what makes this match even more interesting is we have some history here. Back in January 2018 we faced Cardiff in the FA Cup and came out with a victory secured with goals by Sterling and Kevin de Bruyne. However the match is remembered by City fans for the disgraceful tackles inflicted on our players – Joe Bennet on Sane and Diaz, amongst others. The referee Lee Mason was inadequate that night and it left Pep Guardiola incandescent with rage. “Protect my players was his rallying cry”.

Days earlier we had faced the thuggery of Crystal Palace and Cardiff were worse. Their targeting of our players was deliberate and reinforced our views of Warnock as a dinosaur of the game.

Going back to the last time we played Cardiff away in the Premier League and we lost 3:2. Frazier Campbell scored a brace for them and the saving grace for us City fans was they went on to finish in the relegation spaces.

The Cardiff fan forums are not overly optimistic regarding the Match with only 32% of the fans polled suggesting a Cardiff victory. There is talk of the match featuring the return of Aron Gunnarsson, the midfielder, in what would be his first match of the season.

In respect of City its fair to say Mendy will continue to be absent meaning Delph is likely to continue. Guessing Guradiolas side is a fools game these days but I suspect Sane and Sterling will be deployed wide with Aguero through the middle. Two Silvas in midfield. A bit of steel will be necessary in defence so either Kompany or Otamendi will start.

City should have more than enough to dispose of Cardiff and a return to winning ways is critical as we approach some more difficult games. Hopefully an early goal will settle any nerves and the floodgates will open.