Cardiff City v Bristol City: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Cardiff City and Bristol City have very different targets for the remainder of the Championship season as they prepare to meet in the second Severnside derby of the campaign at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.

Survival is the aim for the Bluebirds, who head into the weekend sitting just two points above the relegation zone following back-to-back league defeats against Leeds United and Portsmouth.

For the Robins, they have emerged as serious play-off contenders, as a run of two defeats across their last 10 Championship games has left them just a place and two points off the top six.

Cardiff City v Bristol City betting tips and predictions

Cardiff draw no bet - 10/11

Cardiff have been battling to keep their heads above water all season and if they are to avoid relegation to the third tier for the first time since 2003, then it will likely be because of their home record.

Six of their seven Championship wins have come at the Cardiff City Stadium, including victories in their last two home games against fellow strugglers Derby County and Swansea City in the South Wales derby.

Now another derby awaits for Omer Riza and his side and Cardiff have a good recent record when facing Bristol City, as they are unbeaten in the last four meetings, winning three of those, with the last two clashes in South Wales finishing 2-0 in favour of the hosts.

The most recent meeting between the two sides did end in a 1-1 draw at Ashton Gate in October and Bristol City will head into this game having lost just twice in the league since Christmas.

That run has helped propel Liam Manning's team into serious play-off contention and they bounced back from a rare home defeat to Swansea last weekend by beating Stoke City 2-0 at Ashton Gate on Wednesday night - a fifth win in their last six league games on their own patch.

However, the Robins are less consistent on the road, as they have failed to win any of their last eight away games, losing four of those since triumphing at Norwich City at the start of November.

This promises to be a closely-fought Severnside derby, but with home advantage, Cardiff can claim what could prove an important victory in the battle to survive, although siding with the hosts in the draw no bet market may be the safest play given Bristol City have drawn seven of 16 away games this season.

Under 2.5 goals - 4/6

The Severnside derby has not been a fixture filled with goals over recent times, with the last five meetings between the two sides having gone under the 2.5 goal mark.

Not since a 3-2 victory for Bristol City at Ashton Gate in January 2022 have these teams served up more than two goals in a single match and with plenty at stake for both on Saturday, a similarly low-scoring contest is expected.

Cardiff have only scored more than twice in one of their last 10 Championship home fixtures and five of their previous seven games at the Cardiff City Stadium have featured a maximum of two goals.

Of the teams in the top half heading into the weekend, only Blackburn Rovers and notoriously frugal Burnley have scored fewer goals than Bristol City.

Under 2.5 goals would have been a winning bet in each of the Robins' last three league games and in five of their previous seven, so anyone hoping for a goalfest on Saturday may be left disappointed. 

Anis Mehmeti over 1.5 shots on target - 3/1

Bristol City attacking midfielder Anis Mehmeti was the star of the show against Stoke during the week, netting both goals in his side's 2-0 win to take his tally for the season to 11, four more than anyone else in Manning's squad.

It is no surprise that the Albania international is topping his club's scoring charts, as he is a player that loves to shoot.

Mehmeti has managed 68 shots so far this season, the most of any Bristol City player and the joint-seventh highest tally in the Championship overall, while only three players, Borja Sainz of Norwich, Middlesbrough's Finn Azaz and Wilson Isidor at Sunderland, have had more shots on target than his total of 28.

The 24-year-old has fired off two shots on target in recent games against Portsmouth, Plymouth Argyle and Stoke, all sides around Cardiff in the standings, and he may be able to follow suit this weekend.

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Cardiff City v Bristol City odds

Cardiff City - 15/8
Draw - 11/5
Bristol City - 31/20

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.