Ryan Wintle believes Cardiff City could use their momentum as a major advantage going into the South Wales derby as arch-rivals Swansea City continue to endure an alarming slump in form.
The Bluebirds have won only one of their last seven derbies against the Swans, losing five, and desperately want to change that statistic. The Swans have had the Bluebirds' number in recent years, meaning Cardiff fans invariably dread derby day.
But after earning 10 points from their last six games, Cardiff have a bit of a tailwind behind them. They face a crucial relegation six-pointer against Rotherham at the weekend and a good result up in Yorkshire could act as a massive springboard ahead of the derby with Swansea.
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The Swans, meanwhile, have just three wins in 20 games and have stalled badly since the World Cup break at the end of 2022, with many fans questioning Russell Martin's methods.
For Bluebirds vice-captain Wintle, a win this weekend against the Millers could be a major factor in the mood within the camp as the derby looms large.
"For me, it's a six-pointer and I'm sure their camp will think the same," Wintle said of the trip to Rotherham. "We've got to go there and show them we are a good team. We've just drawn to West Brom who are fighting for the play-offs, so hopefully they will be fearful of us and we can go there and win."
He said "it will look like a massive four points" if the Bluebirds can follow the 1-1 draw with West Brom with victory at Rotherham.
"Then we've got a two-week break, so if we don't go there and win then you think there is a long way to wait," said Wintle.
"Then there is the derby, so all eyes are on that game now and we are ready for it.
"We can use every little confidence. You see their results, they are dropping off a little bit. So, we've got to be confident and if they aren't confident, hopefully we can get one over on them, which we haven't done in the past few games."
They say form goes out the window on derby day and it appears the next instalment of the South Wales clash will really put that to the test.
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The supporters' unrest at the Swansea.com Stadium cannot be ignored, either, with manager Martin coming under increased pressure from fans who are watching on as their early-season optimism dissipates quickly.
Swansea were tipped earlier in the season to push for those play-off spots, especially after such a bright start to the campaign which saw them occupy the top-six places for a time. But they have dropped like a stone and now sit only four points ahead of Cardiff in the table.
There are perhaps premature whispers of them being dragged into the relegation fight, but at time of writing the Swans are still a relatively comfortable eight points above the drop zone.
However, Swansea face another rival in Bristol City this Sunday and a defeat against the Robins could really ratchet up the pressure further, placing even greater importance on their derby clash with Cardiff after the international break.
The Bristol City game might just be the best barometer yet of where the two Welsh sides are. Cardiff turned out arguably their best performance under Lamouchi against the Robins in the Severnside derby, running out 2-0 winners almost two weeks ago.
How Martin's side fare against Nigel Pearson's team will certainly be of intrigue to supporters in the Welsh capital.
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