Chopra targeting Cardiff return in time for derby with Bristol City
Published:Michael Chopra has given Cardiff a boost as they prepare for their return to Championship action at the weekend.
Chopra has been out of action since the end of August after rupturing ankle ligaments in Cardiff’s win over Doncaster.
But the striker managed 60 minutes of football in a reserve game against Bristol Rovers yesterday, scoring in a 5-1 win for the Bluebirds.
Chopra was a key man last season, scoring 21 goals for Cardiff as they narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs.
The former Newcastle and Sunderland striker is the second major return for the Bluebirds in as many games, with Craig Bellamy having come back from a knee injury last time out against Barnsley.
So far this campaign, Cardiff have continued the form that saw them finish fourth last season.
At present they’re second in the league, but are only a point ahead of Norwich and are already six points behind runaway leaders QPR – Cardiff are 4/1 to win the Championship.
They will need to win this weekend to keep within challenging distance of QPR, and have two crucial games in five days that could help close the gap.
First, they play host to Bristol City this Saturday, before travelling to the Ricoh Arena to face Adrian Boothroyd’s Coventry City.
Baring in mind Bristol City are bottom of the Championship and succumbed to a 3-0 home defeat against newly promoted Norwich last time out, Cardiff will want to win on Saturday.
The Bluebirds are overwhelming favourites at 8/15 and they have an unbeaten home record so far this season.
Bristol City on the other hand have only picked up six points from their 10 games and have yet to win away all season, given this information, they’re priced at 11/2.
Nothing less than a win will do for Cardiff on Saturday, especially with Chopra and Bellamy back in contention.
Michael Chopra is 33/1 to be the Championship’s top goal scorer. Follow the full NPower Championship betting odds market here.
