Stoke vs Cardiff predictions: Potters to pile pain on Bluebirds
- Stoke's 2-1 loss at Luton was their third defeat in a row
- Cardiff are without a win in six
- Recommended bet: Stoke to win
Omer Riza's honeymoon period is well and truly over and that could spell danger for Cardiff's new boss heading to the Potteries to take on Stoke.
Riza improved the Bluebirds after initially replacing Erol Bulut but the wins have now dried up and Stoke have to believe they can bank an overdue win.
Team news
Sam Gallagher, Stoke's strapping striker, is set to be fit enough to be named in the squad.
Defenders Ben Gibson and Enda Stevens are poised to return and Stoke fans may finally get to see summer signing from Celtic, Bosun Lawal.
Fuming Riza seemed to promise changes after berating his team following Wednesday's 2-0 home loss to Preston. One player who will not be coming in, though, is Wales captain Aaron Ramsay, who remains out injured.
Manolos Siopis should return to the midfield after a one-match ban but David Turnbull is still missing.
The stats
Stoke are without a win in six and have lost three on the bounce. On the flip side, the only side to have beaten them at home since September are high-flying Burnley.
Cardiff are without an away win all season.
They are also the division's lowest scorers with just 17 goals.
Prediction
Cardiff were roundly booed off after Wednesday night's 2-0 home loss to Preston, which was Riza's first match in charge of the Bluebirds on a full-time basis.
Riza promised changes and laid into his team with many supporters wondering if their new manager's temporary upturn when caretaker was the exception rather than the rule.
Their form is not good, they do not score anywhere near enough goals, continue to make awful defensive errors and they travel badly.
All of which leaves them looking horribly vulnerable at Stoke, in no form themselves with three straight losses, though two of those were against high-flying Burnley and Sunderland.
Annoyingly for Narcis Pelach, his team have dropped 13 points from winning positions, including six in the last two, having gone ahead in both 2-1 defeats at Sunderland and Luton.
They are playing well enough to take leads into games but now need to stop conceding late.
Given how toothless Cardiff are, they could well get it right on Saturday.
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