McPhail sidelined for three months

McPhail, whose form upon his recent return to boss Dave Jones' starting XI had played a big part in Cardiff's six-match unbeaten run, sustained the injury during the 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest at the start of the month. Initial scans had suggested he would be out for six to eight weeks but a specialist on Friday deemed the problem to be more serious than first suggested. Jones told the club's official website: "The specialist decided on an operation to re-attach the thigh muscle to the bone. It's bad news about Stevie and he's a big loss because he's won the fans over again. We'll miss his creativity."