Cardiff vs Plymouth prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-12-25 15:00.
Cardiff manager Erol Bulut said he “exchanged some words” with his side in the Hillsborough dressing room at half-time on Saturday, and whatever he said certainly worked, as two second half goals earned the Bluebirds all three points against Sheffield Wednesday. Beforehand, Bulut’s side had lost four of their last five (W1), but they’re still just three points adrift of the top six ahead of Boxing Day’s round.
Bulut’s side must now try and secure a league win on Boxing Day for just the third time in 23 attempts (D11, L9), and the first time since 2012. Notably, both of the previous two Bluebirds wins on Boxing Day came on home soil, but playing in familiar surroundings hasn’t been much of a boost for Cardiff of late, given they’ve lost three of their last four home league games.
In stark contrast, opponents Plymouth don’t tend to suffer from a Christmas hangover, having lost just two of their last 24 Boxing Day league games (W14, D8), although one of those was in Wales, losing 2-0 to Newport in 2014. Coincidentally, the last time this pair faced off was on Boxing Day 2009, and the Pilgrims ran out 1-0 winners, although that was worryingly a season in which they were relegated!
To secure back-to-back league wins against the Bluebirds for the first time since September 1993, managerless Argyle will have to do something they haven’t done yet this season – win an away league game (D4, L7). They do at least travel on a bit of a high, after battling from two goals behind to claim a 3-3 draw against Birmingham at the weekend, a result which stretched their unbeaten run to three games (W1, L2).
Players to watch: In his only previous start against Plymouth, Cardiff striker Karlan Grant netted a brace including an 88th minute winner, though that was back in 2018 for Charlton. In the Argyle camp, Morgan Whittaker’s leveller on Saturday was his tenth league goal of the campaign, but all-bar one of those ten have come at home.
Hot stat: Plymouth have been shown the first card of the game in 17 of their 23 league games so far this season.