Nelson starts: The predicted Cardiff City XI to face WBA on Wednesday night | OneFootball

Cardiff City travel to The Hawthorns to take on West Bromwich Albion tomorrow evening as they look to continue their impressive start to the 2022/23 campaign.

The Bluebirds beat Birmingham City to move fifth in the table on the weekend – having taken six points from their first two games.

Albion may well be 15 places below them but Steve Bruce’s side still look likely to be tough opposition for Cardiff.

The Baggies have been in the ascendancy for much of their opening three fixtures and only really have a lack of clinical finishing to blame for having taken just two points in the Championship so far.

They’ll be desperate to put that right tomorrow evening, which should make Steve Morison’s team selection even more important – particularly with the Severnside derby coming up this weekend.

With that in mind, here is the starting XI we expect Morison to name against West Brom…

Ryan Allsop has been number one since signing in the summer window and is on course to start once again.

The Bluebirds kept a first clean sheet of the season against Birmingham but will be forced into a change as Cedric Kipre is on loan from Albion and cannot play against his parent club.

Curtis Nelson looks the likely candidate to replace him, with Perry Ng, Mahlon Romeo, and Jamilu Collins reprising their roles.

New midfield duo Andy Rinomhota and Ryan Wintle have made a positive start in the opening weeks of the season and should get a chance to continue to strengthen their partnership on Wednesday evening.

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Their effectiveness could be vital to Cardiff hopes given the control that Bruce will want his midfielders to give the visitors.

Using Callum O’Dowda as an inverted right winger worked well against the Blues while Aston Villa loanee Jaden Philogene-Bidace bagged his first goal off the left in that game.

O’Dowda and Philogene-Bidace should start again on the flanks with fellow summer arrival and former Baggie Romaine Sawyers in the number 10 role.

Max Watters was brought off at half time against Birmingham but could get the nod up top again.

While Watters has struggled in front of goal, his work out of possession is notable and that, along with his hold-up play, could be particularly important given Albion are likely to dominate the ball.