Cardiff vs Barnsley Predictions

• Barnsley lost six of their nine away meetings with last season’s top 10
• No side in the division lost fewer games than Cardiff since Mick McCarthy arrived in Wales
• The visitors have lost nine of their last 13 opening games at this level

McCarthy’s side to make strong start

Cardiff’s playoff ambitions faded towards the end of last season, while Barnsley faded after booking their top six place. Their semi-final exit in the playoffs brought the exit of manager Valerien Ismael, rising issues for the Tykes. They lost Daryl Dike and Alex Mowatt too, so expect the visitors to struggle.

However, Barnsley already had problems plaguing them. They managed 11 away wins last season, but seven of those came against the bottom seven sides. Six losses in nine visits to their fellow top 10 sides is a worry, especially with Cardiff looking strong. McCarthy has started reshaping the squad, making five signings on a free and adding Arsenal defender Mark McGuinness to boost their promotion hopes.

The Bluebirds had a midseason spike last term but no Championship side lost fewer games since Mick McCarthy’s arrival in January. They meet a Barnsley side who have lost their opener in nine of their last 13 seasons at this level, so a home win and a 1-0 victory look like good options here.