Chopra gutted to miss Welsh derby

Michael Chopra is about to be yellow-carded by referee Graham Salisbury

Michael Chopra says he is "very gutted" to be suspended for Cardiff City's Welsh derby clash with Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday.

The Bluebirds top scorer with 11 goals received his fifth booking of the season towards the end of Sunday's 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.

"They are the games you want to play in," 25-year-old Chopra told BBC Sport Wales.

"To miss a game against Swansea means so much to me."

Chopra has been joined on the sidelines by Stephen McPhail who suffered a torn thigh muscle on Sunday and is out for six to eight weeks.

The duo's absence would be a big blow to Cardiff's hopes at the Liberty Stadium.

But Newcastle-born Chopra believes the Bluebirds have enough to cope without him and whoever else misses out.

"The team's not about one player," he added. "There are a lot of players ready to take people's places.

"We've got good players on the bench waiting to come in. The main thing is we've just got to go there and play our normal game, and play football and not the occasion.

"Hopefully we can get the three points."

Swansea City were also walking a disciplinary tightrope at Scunthorpe United on Saturday, as defenders Angel Rangel and Alan Tate both went into the game with four bookings to their name this season.

But both players avoided a fifth booking as the Swans won 2-0 at Glanford Park.