Cardiff City face their fellow play-off contenders Derby County at the Cardiff City Stadium this afternoon looking to close the gap on sixth place Sheffield Wednesday.

This is the first game for both sides since the international break, and it will be a pivotal clash that could define where they finish in the league.

Cardiff are in slightly better form than Derby, as they have only lost twice in their last ten league fixtures, while Derby have lost three.

With the South Wales side fully anticipating a late surge of the top six, the stadium is expected to hold the biggest crowd of the season in South Wales, with over 25,000 tickets believed to be sold.

Derby are by no means guaranteed a play-off spot and will come into this game all guns blazing.

The Rams have been known to bottle under pressure as we witnessed last season, and defeat for the side could seriously put their season in question once again.

FootballLeagueWorld writer Ashley Williams identifies THREE things to look out for in this afternoon's encounter...

1) Virus spreading among the Cardiff camp

Cardiff manager Russell Slade will have high anxiety levels coming into this game, as the squad has been hit with a virus that has left several of their players missing training this week.

Defenders Matt Connolly and Fabio have been the worst hit, and goalkeeper David Marshall has been recovering from pneumonia, so Simon Moore is expected to continue to deputise in the absence of the Scotsman.

The squad's depth is fairly strong, and there are players such as Sean Morrison and Scott Malone who can put in a solid performance if Connolly and Fabio are not fully match-fit.

2) Record crowd for second-tier clash

Sales on Thursday night were thought to have been close to 25,000, with club officials hoping a late surge in sales will take it past the 26,588.

This would break the record for the biggest crowd for a second-tier game since their April 2013 clash with Nottingham Forest.

People behind the scenes have done a lot of good work selling it and the support will be massive. Now it’s up to the players to make the most of it.

It will give them an extra edge, as the Cardiff City Stadium is one of the most vibrant grounds for atmosphere.

It will certainly boost the players.

3) Is Harry Redknapp’s appointment vital for the Rams?

Many of the reports have suggested that the new football advisor for Derby County Harry Redknapp was instrumental in boosting the players in their half time talk at Nottingham Forest last time out, spurring them on to a much-needed victory.

During the interval of the game, Redknapp made his way towards the dressing room at the break, and whatever he and head coach Darren Wassall said worked a treat.

He is one of the most experienced managers in football and he has really seen it all.

Redknapp is definitely a key character for the Rams players, and can certainly stop the side from making the same mistakes from last season.

Cardiff and Derby fans... Do you have a ticket for the game tomorrow? What is your score prediction? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!