Johnnie Jackson and Igor Vetokele missed Wednesday’s defeat at Selhurst Park through knocks, that are likely to sideline them again on Saturday.

Alou Diarra will miss the game through suspension, and Simon Makienok will not recover in time to be involved.

Vetokele seems certain to leave The Valley on loan, with his destination likely to be either Bolton or Wolves.

Guy Luzon said, “I hope he (Vetokele)will stay at the club, because we don’t have a big squad, but we will see,” at his post match press conference at Selhurst Park.

A player can only go out on an emergency loan for a maximum of 93 days at this time of the year, so why did Luzon not categorically say that Vetokele was not available?

The Angolan has failed to recapture the blistering form that made him such a threat in his early days at The Valley.

A change of scenery may bring the best out of him, and with his wages freed up, Charlton would have the option of bringing another striker in. One thing is certain, Vetokele still has plenty of admirers in the Championship.

Luzon now has to pick his team up as they bid to end a five game winless run at Cardiff on Saturday. The Addicks badly need to pick up three points, and win away from home for the first time since March.

Nick Pope will continue in goal, and Chris Solly looks set to play his fifth game in a fortnight. With Diarra suspended, Naby Sarr will partner Patrick Bauer at the heart of the defence. Morgan Fox will complete the back line.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Ahmed Kashi will return to midfield, and Jordan Cousins and Zakaraya Bergdich are likely to complete the quartet, though Conor McAleny will come into consideration for the wide left berth.

With Makienok and Vetokele out, Luzon has limited attacking options. Tony Watt and Karlan Ahearne-Grant look the most likely pairing.

Charlton could look like this:

Pope; Solly, Bauer, Sarr, Fox; Gudmundsson, Cousins, Kashi, Bergdich; Watt, Ahearne-Grant.

Subs: Mitov, Holmes-Dennis, Lennon, Ba, Moussa, McAleny, Kennedy.

The referee will be Andrew Madley from West Yorkshire.

This will be a tough ask for the Addicks, Cardiff did not have a midweek match, whereas Charlton played on Wednesday and face a lengthy journey to South Wales. The Bluebirds have the advantage and will be favourites to win the game.

Picture supplied by Ed Boyden.