Preview | Cardiff City v Swansea City

Swansea City and Cardiff City lock horns in the latest instalment of the club’s 111-year south Wales derby rivalry.

While the two clubs have not enjoyed the campaigns they would have been hoping for before the season began back in July, derby days remain a special and eagerly-anticipated part of the Welsh sporting calendar.

Swansea have enjoyed the better recent record in the fixture, winning six of the last eight. In that time the Swans have suffered one defeat and conceded just one goal.

Head coach Russell Martin made clear in his pre-match press conference that he, his staff and players will ever consider the derby to be just another game, but has urged his team to perform with the mix of courage and accuracy that saw them defeat Bristol City in fine fashion last time out.

Team news

The Swans have Joe Allen back from injury, while Jay Fulton and Joel Latibeaudiere return from the suspensions that saw them miss out against Bristol City.

Swansea’s international contingent have all returned without injury problems, meaning Steven Benda is the only injury absentee.

The hosts will be without topscorer Callum Robinson, but his fellow Republic of Ireland international Callum O’Dowda is fit and available.

Pre-match views

Russell Martin: “Whatever division you are in, whatever league position you are in, whatever you are fighting for, this game will always mean a huge amount to everyone.

“Ultimately it’s three points on the board at the end of it, but it’s how you make people feel after that result and performance.

“There’s no point pretending it’s just another game when it’s not.

“I could come out here and give you a load of platitudes about being just another game, but it’s not, we all know that.

“We have felt it three times now. Fortunately, we have been on the right side of the result those three times, which has been an amazing feeling.

“We were surprised by the intensity of it the first time we experienced it, and then knew what to expect the second and third time.

“The intensity and the depth of feeling around the game has never been dampened, and I don’t expect it to this time.”

Sabri Lamouchi: It will be a tough game. Even if they are not so far from us, they are doing well.

“They concede a lot, but they score a lot. You will not find a team in the league who play more passes than them. The way they play is with possession and combinations, so it will be tough.

“I know how the game is important for our fans, for the club, for our players, I know that. It’s three points that are important for us in our situation.

"For many reasons, all Cardiff City fans want to win this game. We want to be safe and we play against our biggest rivals, so for these reasons, we have to manage the game in the best way.

"We have to be smart, clever and compact. We have to try to do our best, like in the recent games at our stadium."

Remember the last time?

Swansea City made south Wales derby history as goals from Michael Obafemi, Ben Cabango and Hannes Wolf saw them complete the first league double in the 110 years of the fixture.

Having won the first meeting on home turf back in October, the Swans made a dream start at Cardiff City Stadium as Obafemi finished from close range after a lovely flowing attack down the right.

And Cabango – a player who was once rejected by Swansea’s south Wales rivals as a youngster – fired home just before the hour mark before Wolf’s far post header put the visitors out of sight.

And Obafemi put the icing on the cake when he smashed his second of the game high into Alex Smithies’ net to give the Swans their biggest-ever away win in the derby.

It was no less than the Swans deserved for a dominant display, as they rose to the challenge posed by head coach Russell Martin and captain Matt Grimes to impose their game in a hostile environment and accept the responsibility to accomplish something special for the club and city.

Prime numbers

4 – Outside of war-time friendlies and unofficial leagues, no side has ever won four derby games in a row.

15 – Swansea have scored 15 goals in the last eight derby meetings, conceding just one goal in that time.