Cardiff vs Leicester Preview

Posted Saturday, January 23, 2010 by ESPN

Gavin Rae is facing a race against time to prove his fitness ahead of Cardiff's FA Cup fourth-round clash against Leicester.

Cardiff vs Leicester Preview The central midfielder was forced to miss a second successive match due to a hamstring injury as the Bluebirds squeezed past Bristol City in Tuesday's third-round replay, but he is recovering strongly.

However Dave Jones has plenty of other concerns in Aaron Wildig (back) and Solomon Taiwo (illness), who is the latest player to be struck down by the virus that has ravaged the club for the last week or so.

Michael Chopra was sick during the clash in midweek while others were suffering in the dressing room afterwards but almost all are expected to battle through.

Midfielder Stephen McPhail has been back in training for the past three weeks after recovering from stage one malt lymphoma and a thigh injury, although no date has been set for his return.

Joe Ledley will play his penultimate match for the club prior to a lengthy lay-off after his double hip operation was moved back by a couple of days, meaning he can now take part in Tuesday's league encounter against Bristol City. Striker Josh Magennis (broken fibula) remains sidelined.

Leicester's Bruno Berner has been ruled out.

The defender is still to recover from the calf injury which forced him off during the 3-0 home win over Sheffield Wednesday on December 12, so on-loan Manchester City defender Ryan McGivern is likely to continue at left-back.

But boss Nigel Pearson will again be without the services of long-term absentees Aleksandar Tunchev and Stephen Clemence, who remain sidelined through injury.

Ashley Chambers will also miss out after joining Grimsby on loan until the end of the season.

The Foxes will be looking to end a two-game winless streak following a 1-1 draw with Ipswich and a narrow 1-0 defeat at Swansea.