By Tom Prosser Cardiff City manager Mick McCarthy admits a defeat to arch rivals Swansea on Sunday would only “add fuel to the fire” regarding his own future at the club after a spell of five consecutive league defeats. “If you think I’m under any pressure other than wanting to win the game on Sunday, then no, I’m not feeling that,” explains the 62-year-old. “I feel for the lads because they always give everything.

By Paul Jones Swansea City manager Russell Martin says the international break has been a big help to his squad with Ryan Bennett, Oliver Ntcham and Michael Obafemi all using the time to get back up to full fitness ahead of Sunday’s South Wales derby against Cardiff City. The trio have linked up with Russell Martin’s squad as preparations continue for Sunday’s derby fixture following the international week. Bennett and Obafemi have not featured in the last four matches, with their last outings coming in the 3-3 draw with Luton Town in the middle of September.

By Paul Jones Cardiff City striker Kieffer Moore has revealed he his going to change his style of play after becoming “super conscious” of getting booked when going for an aerial challenge, he is next in action for the Bluebirds in the South Wales derby on Sunday but will the fans see a different Moore in action. The 6ft 5in forward scored an early winner in Estonia on Monday to keep Wales in the hunt for a World Cup play-off place. But he later collected a second booking in qualification after contesting a high ball, meaning he will miss the Belarus game in Cardiff on November 13.

By Tom Prosser Championship referee James Linington has been confirmed as the referee for Sunday’s South Wales derby between Swansea and Cardiff. This will be Linington’s first South Wales derby but he has taken charge of both teams on many previous occasions. Cardiff have a terrific record with Linington as referee, having won 16 of their 19 matches with him in the middle.

Without injured Gareth Bale, Welsh hopes of goals in the Czech Republic on Friday night may well rest on the shoulders of Kieffer Moore. The Cardiff City striker has hardly enjoyed a prolific start to the season but Wales manager Rob Page insists he has kept faith, as he tells Graham Thomas. Kieffer Moore has been backed to rediscover his goalscoring touch by helping Wales move a step nearer World Cup qualification on Friday night. The Cardiff City striker has endured a lean season so far, with just one goal in 13 matches for his club following his 24 goals for club and country last season.

By Paul Jones Cardiff City won’t miss Lee Tomlin’s injury record but they might just miss his flair and outrageous goals after making the decision to release him after an injury hit spell at the club. Tomlin says, “he loved trying to get the fans off the edge of their seats”, but he has divided opinion in recent seasons due to his lack of game time on the pitch. The 32-year-old only managed to make five league appearances last season and has not managed to play a single minute this time around.

By Paul Jones Cardiff City midfielder Will Vaulks has been called up to the Wales squad for their upcoming World Cup Qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Estonia.  Vaulks has not been in the best of form the Bluebirds so far this season and hasn’t played for Wales since their 3-0 defeat to England 12 months ago. Ironically, the 28-year-old wasn’t picked for the Euro’s despite being in good form towards the end of last season and is now called up when his form is deserting him.

Joel Piroe insists the goals will soon start flowing for Swansea City, even though he currently seems the only player capable of turning on the tap. The Swans’ 0-0 draw at Derby at the weekend was their fourth goalless draw in 11 Championship games this season. In all, Russell Martin’s side have managed just nine goals, with five of those coming from Piroe, their £1m signing from PSV Eindhoven in the summer.

By Tom Prosser Junior Hoilett has admitted it was hard to leave Cardiff City this summer – and a bittersweet moment to score against his former club on Saturday. The Reading attacker struck his first goal for the Royals since being shown the door in the summer by Cardiff, who felt he wasn’t worth a new contract.  Hoilett started Mick McCarthy’s first game in charge against Barnsley but was substituted after just 50 minutes and did play for the club again.

Mick McCarthy insisted he has not “lost the dressing room” but admits whether or not the board still back him at Cardiff City is another matter. The Bluebirds manager conceded he is powerless to determine his own immediate future after the club’s former striker, Junior Hoilett, gave Reading a 1-0 victory at the Cardiff City Stadium. The decision not to offer Hoilett a new contract in the summer was McCarthy’s, but the question of whether it is time for the manager to now go will not be in his hands – a fact McCarthy conceded after his fifth successive defeat and seventh in eight matches.

Mick McCarthy is hoping the return of Cardiff City’s midfield stalwart Joe Ralls can halt the Bluebirds’ sliding autumn from turning into a winter of discontent. The Cardiff manager is pinning his hopes on Ralls’ comeback helping bring an end to their run of four consecutive defeats against Reading on Saturday in the capital. Ralls has been sidelined with an on-going groin strain for the past five matches and is set to return to action the day after celebrating the 10th anniversary of his Championship debut with the club he joined at 17.

By Paul Jones Mick McCarthy is now under intense pressure as Cardiff City manager after admitting concerns about his own fans chanting ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ during their 4-0 defeat to West Brom on Tuesday. The result follows Saturday’s 5-1 defeat to Blackburn and means the Bluebirds have lost six of their last seven matches in all competitions. “The away fans singing it at me doesn’t bother me one bit. But the home fans doing it? That’s a completely different ball game,” said McCarthy.