The Blues secured their maiden Championship win since their return to the second tier of English football at the 10th time of asking, with West Ham loanee Freddie Potts and Callum Lang cancelling out Karamoko Dembele’s early opener for the Rs at Loftus Road.
The timely victory lifted John Mousinho’s side off the bottom of the table - a position they found themselves in before kick-off following the Bluebirds’ thumping 5-0 victory against Plymouth earlier in the day. But they were unable to climb back above tonight’s hosts, who now sit 22nd, with their margin of victory against Wayne Rooney’s Pilgrims ensuring they sit above Pompey in the standings on goal difference only.
Tonight’s game presents both clubs with the opportunity to climb out of the relegation zone, to put daylight between them, and to concentrate on climbing the table. But which players will the two teams have to do without for such an important fixture?
Here’s the outs and doubts ahead of kick-off (7.45pm).
1. Will Norris - Out
The keeper hasn't featured since the 6-1 loss to Stoke, with Nicolas Schmid playing the past two games. John Mousinho revealed on Saturday that the stopper tweaked his medial collateral ligament and is unlikely to be available until the trip to Hull on November 2. | National World
2. Conor Shaughnessy - out
The defender has been absent since mid-August and has featured in only two games this season because of a troublesome calf injury. Last week John Mousinho put a 4-6 week timeframe on his recovery. | National World
3. Zak Swanson - Out
The defender sat out Saturday's trip to QPR with a heel injury. It's set to keep him out for tonight's trip to Cardiff - but the former Arsenal right-back is expected to be fit to face Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night. | National World
4. Jacob Farrell - Out
The Aussie's first season in English football has been hindered by a knee injury. Last week we were told the defender would be out for a further 2-4 weeks. | National World