Goalkeeper Tom Heaton fitness boost for Cardiff City

Tom Heaton won three caps as an England under-21 international

Goalkeeper Tom Heaton has given Cardiff City's stuttering promotion bid a boost by declaring himself fit for Saturday's Championship clash with Derby County.

The former Manchester United stopper has been out for a month with a groin strain and Cardiff are without a win in the four games Heaton has been absent.

Heaton is set to start as stand-in loan goalie Stephen Bywater is ineligible to play against his parent club Derby.

Heaton had kept four clean sheets in the six games before his injury.

The 24-year-old former England under-21 international will be joined in the Bluebirds squad by fit-again top-scorer Jay Bothroyd.

The 17-goal striker pulled a hamstring muscle in Cardiff's 3-3 draw at Millwall on 19 March and was forced off in the 27th minute at The New Den.

Cardiff are without striker Michael Chopra (hamstring) for the rest of the season but Bothroyd's return is good news for Bluebirds boss Dave Jones.

"Should be fine for the Derby fixture," Bothroyd told his Twitter site.

"Trained today everything feels fine so far," the 28-year-old added on Monday.

Bothroyd has rested his hamstring strain over the international break and is expected to be available for Saturday's crucial match with Derby at the Cardiff City Stadium.

But while the England international is Cardiff's top-scorer this season, Bothroyd has failed to score in his last 10 Bluebirds games

Chopra is out for the rest of the season after suffering a hamstring tear in Cardiff's 2-2 Championship draw with Barnsley on 13 March.

Cardiff will also be without centre-back Mark Hudson for the visit of Derby as he tore knee ligaments in the draw with Millwall.