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Page last updated at 15:24 GMT, Monday, 14 December 2009

Peter Whittingham fitness boost for Cardiff City

Peter Whittingham
Former Aston Villa winger Whittingham is the Championship's top-scorer

Peter Whittingham has given Cardiff City a fitness boost as the Bluebirds top-scorer is set to be fit for Saturday's game with Leicester City.

The 14-goal winger was forced off in the 39th minute of their 1-0 victory at Middlesbrough with a thigh injury.

But his niggle is not serious and Whittingham will be fit to face their fellow play-off hopefuls Leicester.

But Kelvin Etuhu, his replacement, is set to be out for a while with an ankle injury suffered at the Riverisde.

The on-loan attacker has returned to his parent club Manchester City for a scan on the injury - a problem that took the gloss off Cardiff's third successive win which fired them into third.

But Kevin McNaughton, who also hobbled off at Middlesbrough, has reacted well to light treatment on a calf problem and is expected to be fit for Saturday's Championship clash with the Foxes.

The Scottish full-back, who has only recently returned from three months out with an ankle injury, is okay and will join Whittingham, the Championship's top-scorer, in the squad to face Leicester.

The positive reaction of Whittingham and McNaughton's injuries is a boost for Cardiff boss Dave Jones who is already asking Wales midfielder Joe Ledley to play through the pain barrier of a hip injury.

Midfielder Riccardo Scimeca (groin) is a doubt for Saturday's game while Stephen McPhail will not return until next month as he is undergoing cancer treatment.

"It is fine when we have a fully fit squad," said Jones.

"But it is only when we lose three or four players is when we have a problem."



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see also
Middlesbrough 0-1 Cardiff
13 Dec 09 |  Championship
Jones' Cardiff midfielder crisis
11 Dec 09 |  Cardiff
Cardiff admit Ledley needs hip op
09 Dec 09 |  Cardiff
Jones wants Cardiff finance boost
10 Dec 09 |  Cardiff
McPhail to have cancer treatment
21 Nov 09 |  Cardiff
BBC Sport Wales coverage
03 Oct 11 |  Wales


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