Cardiff’s recent upturn in form faces its sternest test yet as the Bluebirds face Ipswich at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday 12:30 K.O.

The home side are on a run of three consecutive wins built on a rock-solid defence which has three clean sheets in their last four games.

That defence will be tested to its upmost when second in the table and Championship top scorers Ipswich come to town.

The Tractor Boys bolstered their attack in January with the signings of Ali Al-Hamadi, and Wales centre forward Kieffer Moore who was a Cardiff target but chose East England on loan from Premier league Bournemouth.

Since his move, Moore has already grabbed five goals in his eight games, one goal short of Cardiff’s joint top scorers in defender Perry Ng and forward Kion Etete.

Moore will surely be announced in Rob Page’s Wales squad on Wednesday for the Euro 2024 play-offs.

Fellow Ipswich players Wes Burns and Nathan Broadhead will hope to join for Wales’ game against Finland on the 21^st of March, although Broadhead will need to shake off an injury picked up against Birmingham City at the end of February.

Broadhead has been in fine form this season, scoring 11 goals for Ipswich, second only to Conor Chaplin, while Burns has five.

Cardiff’s win at home to Huddersfield in midweek saw them rise back up to tenth, comfortably in mid-table.

The signing of defender Nat Phillips, on loan from Premier League leaders Liverpool, has coincided with four clean sheets in the eight games he’s played, compared to the seven in 29 games they had before his arrival.

Phillips is known for his defensive heading ability and has experienced at higher levels having played in the Champions League for Liverpool and Celtic.

With Moore standing at 6”5, Phillips’ aerial prowess will be needed to keep the Wales striker quiet when the two meet for Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.

Moore, Burns and Broadhead won’t be the only three players hoping to be part of Rob Page’s squad with Cardiff pairing of Aaron Ramsey and Rubin Colwill also hoping to be included.

As Wales captain, Ramsey would be almost guaranteed selection, were it not for his continued injury problems.

The former Arsenal and Juventus midfielder spent five months out with a knee injury suffered against Swansea in September, but upon his return suffered a further set back with a calf injury.

The injury seems to leave him in a race against time to prove his fitness ahead of Wales’ play-off qualifiers.

Ramsey’s Cardiff teammate Rubin Colwill will also be out to prove a point having flittered in and out of Rob Page’s squads in recent times.

The 21-year-old has made 29 appearances for Carduff this season, with the majority as a substitute and will be hoping to be involved again this Saturday.

Elsewhere, Swansea City, unbeaten in their last three, travel to Bristol City on Sunday, while Wrexham and Newport travel to Morecambe and Stockport on Saturday respectively.