There will be much more than local pride riding on Swansea's meeting with Cardiff this Saturday lunchtime.
Catch Swansea v Cardiff live on Sky Sports 1 & HD1 this Saturday
There will be much more than local pride riding on Swansea's meeting with Cardiff this Saturday lunchtime.
Both sides are in fine form at the moment and will have ambitions of climbing the Championship table.
The Swans have gone nine games since they last tasted defeat and are closing quickly on the play-off spots.
The Bluebirds, meanwhile, are unbeaten in their last six and could move into the automatic promotion places with a win - should other results go their way.
Swansea team news
Swansea are in good health ahead of the eagerly-awaited Welsh derby.
Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa is buoyed by a near clean bill of health as he prepares for his first meeting with Cardiff.
Midfielder Ferrie Bodde is a long-term casualty with a knee injury, but only Albert Serran (match fitness) and Guillem Bauza are not going to be considered.
Sousa will again go with just one striker, with Craig Beattie leading the line, meaning Lee Trundle will have to settle for a place on the bench.
The two league games between the sides ended 2-2 last season, while the Swans have gone seven games unbeaten against Cardiff.
Cardiff team news
Cardiff will be without Michael Chopra and Stephen McPhail while Peter Whittingham is also an injury doubt.
Eleven-goal Chopra, the Championship's leading scorer, picked up his fifth booking of the season in last weekend's 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest and will now miss the trip to the Liberty Stadium, meaning Ross McCormack should start his first match since mid-August.
McPhail, who was twice sent off against the Swans last season, is certain to miss out having been ruled out for around six weeks with a thigh strain sustained against Billy Davies' side.
Whittingham, the division's second-highest scorer behind Chopra on 10, has a chance of playing as he battles to overcome a knee problem.
But while manager Dave Jones is likely to have to reshuffle his midfield and attack somewhat, he is able to keep faith with a goalkeeper and back four who have been the bedrock of the Bluebirds' recent fine form.
