Cardiff v Hull City preview

Marshall: Expected to be fit

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Cardiff City will be aiming to continue their impressive start to the new Championship season when Hull City come to South Wales.

The Bluebirds are joint leaders along with fellow high-flyers QPR and Ipswich Town having won three and drawn one of their four league outings.

Cardiff saw off Portsmouth 2-0 before the international break while the Tigers made it three league games without success after going down 3-1 to Doncaster.

Cardiff news

Goalkeeper David Marshall is expected to be fit for Cardiff's home clash against Hull.

Marshall missed both of Scotland's recent Euro 2012 qualifiers due to an elbow injury but should be able to take his place between the sticks.

On-loan midfielder Seyi Olofinjana has been granted permission to feature against his parent club after an agreement was struck allowing Bluebirds centre-back Anthony Gerrard to play for Hull upon his loan switch to East Yorkshire.

Defender Adam Matthews will be assessed ahead of the encounter having been forced off while playing for Wales' Under-21s on Tuesday night after aggravating a dead leg.

But fellow full-backs Darcy Blake and Kevin McNaughton are ready and able to step in and start against the Tigers.

Michael Chopra (ankle) continues to be sidelined although he could make a sooner than expected return next month. Craig Bellamy is likely to retain the captain's armband alongside Jay Bothroyd in attack for the sell-out fixture.

Tigers news

Hull's latest loan signing Gerrard could go straight into Nigel Pearson's starting line-up.

Pearson could also be boosted by the return of Craig Fagan, who is yet to appear for the Tigers this season due to a hip injury, and defender Paul McShane, who has shaken off a hamstring strain.

But Caleb Folan must wait a little longer for his return from injury and neither Jimmy Bullard or Peter Halmosi are expected to be included in Pearson's squad.

Sheffield United have been linked with a loan move for winger Halmosi, while Bullard has not featured at all this season as the club look to off-load their biggest earner.