Cardiff City will be out to build on a hard-earned point in Mick McCarthy's first game in charge when they play host to Millwall on Saturday afternoon.

The sides enter this game at the Cardiff City Stadium level on 30 points apiece and are closer to the relegation zone than the playoff places.

Match preview

A 2-2 draw with Barnsley may not seem like much to celebrate for Cardiff on the face of it, but the manner of the point made it a positive way for McCarthy to begin his tenure.

The Bluebirds trailed by a couple of goals at Oakwell with 52 minutes played, but Sheyi Ojo and Kieffer Moore hit back to end City's six-game losing streak in all competitions.

Five of those losses had come in a devastating run in the Championship that effectively cost last term's fifth-placed finishers any hope of challenging for the top six.

McCarthy has yet to rule out a playoff charge, but for that to happen Cardiff will need to pick up just a second win in six home league outings when Millwall visit this weekend.

The Lions are winless in two, but a 0-0 draw with high-flying Watford can be considered a good result for Gary Rowett's charges.

Millwall have won three of their last five away matches in all competitions, keeping a clean sheet in each of those victories.

However, the last six league encounters between Cardiff and Millwall - each in the Championship - have ended as a draw. Going further back, 13 of the last 18 have finished level.

That result would suit neither team on Saturday, with the gap on the playoffs now standing at 12 points with 21 games of the regular season to play.

McCarthy would love to mark his first home outing as City boss with a victory, and the former Republic of Ireland manager has a good record against Millwall, winning five out of his last six home meetings with them.

The Lions are without a win away to Cardiff in the league since February 2005, meanwhile, and have won just five of their last 36 away league matches in Wales.

Cardiff City Championship form: LLLLLD
Cardiff City form (all competitions): LLLLLD

Millwall Championship form: DLDLWD
Millwall form (all competitions): WDLWLD

Team News

McCarthy made some big selections calls against Barnsley by leaving out Harry Wilson and captain Sean Morrison.

Both players will be hoping to return to the starting lineup on Saturday, while Joe Bennett is another in contention to feature from the beginning.

Fitness depending, Moore is a nailed-on starter for City after taking his tally to nine goals for the season in midweek.

As for the visitors, Connor Mahoney has returned to training but is unlikely to play any part in this game.

Rowett otherwise has near enough a fully-fit squad to choose from, but too many changes are unlikely for this trip to South Wales.

Striker Matt Smith has been directly involved in five goals in six league starts against Cardiff, so he will be playing some part in this contest.

Cardiff City possible starting lineup:
Smithies; Ng, Morrison, Nelson, Bennett; Ralls, Vaulks; Ojo, Wilson, Murphy; Moore

Millwall possible starting lineup:
Bialkowski; Leonard, Hutchinson, Cooper; McNamara, Woods, Thompson, Kieftenbeld, Malone; Wallace, Zohore

We say: Cardiff City 1-1 Millwall

Cardiff put an end to their losing run last time out and will now be looking to get some victories on the board. Millwall, too, could do with returning to winning ways if they are to move up the division.

Recent results in this fixture suggest that both teams may end up disappointed, though, with everything pointing towards a draw.

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