Our prediction for this Championship match:
Following a brilliant 4-1 win over Luton, Burnley will look to overtake Sheffield Wednesday in top position when they take on Cardiff City in the first home game of the season. The Clarets rolled over the Hatters at Kenilworth Road and, no doubt, the fans have faith in new boss Scott Parker. Barring any fresh injury worries, the former Chelsea midfielder is unlikely to make changes to the team that defeated Luton.
The Bluebirds, on the other hand, kicked off the new Championship campaign with a 2-0 loss to Sunderland and they face yet another difficult task against the promotion hopefuls. As Burnley outplayed Cardiff 3-0 in their last encounter at Turf Moor, we predict that the South Wales outfit will return home with their hands empty. The likes of Ryotaro Tsunoda, Isaak Davies, Kion Etete, and Jamilu Collins are sidelined with injuries for the visiting team.
Highlighted Player (Jay Rodríguez):
Having progressed through the youth ranks of his hometown club Burnley, Jay Rodriguez was rewarded with a professional debut against Bristol City in December 2007 as an 18-year-old boy. It wasn’t until the 2008/09 season when he began to show glimpses of proper promise for the Clarets, however.
With 15 goals and six assists in 37 Championship outings in 2011/12 campaign, Jay Rodriguez caught the eye of several Premier League clubs and it was Southampton who pounced for his signature in a £7 million deal. Six goals and eight assist in his debut Premier League season were followed by a breakthrough record of 15 goals and three assists in 33 matches of the 2013/14 campaign.
An unfortunate cruciate ligament injury sustained in April 2014 halted his progress as he sat through the entire 2014/15 season. It did not prevent West Bromwich Albion from making a move for Rodriguez in 2017, making him the first signing of the summer transfer window, worth a reported £12 million. The WBA forward features only once for England U21 in 2011 and made a single senior appearance – in a 2-0 defeat to Chile in November 2013.
Highlighted Team (Cardiff):
Cardiff City are a Welsh football club that compete in the English second tier (Championship). In 2009 they moved from Ninian Park to Cardiff City Stadium, the venue that officially holds 33,280 spectators.
The Bluebirds played their first ever Premier League match on 18 August, 2013, but they were beaten by West Ham United (0-2) on their debut in the English top flight. However, a week later Fraizer Campbell (two goals) and Aron Gunnarson helped Cardiff City record their first ever win in the Premier League.
The Bluebirds outplayed Manchester City back then, but they eventually dropped to the Championship at the end of the season. Fellow Welsh outfit Swansea City are considered Cardiff’s fiercest rivals and the two teams take on each other in the South Wales derby.
The colour of Cardiff City’s home kit is blue, whilst they wear red shirts and shorts when playing on the travels.