Brian Barry-Murphy emphasizes the need for Cardiff City to manage their fit defenders as they prepare to host Norwich City in the EFL Cup second round on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT.

Currently grappling with an early-season injury crisis, the Bluebirds are missing key players: Dylan Lawlor, Calum Chambers, Will Fish, and Gabriel Osho. This situation compelled Barry-Murphy to deploy right-back Perry Ng and left-back Joel Bagan as central defenders during their last match against Derby County.

Cardiff's bench featured only 15-year-old Noah Anyadike, who is in line for a potential debut against Norwich. Barry-Murphy stated, "We treat every game with the intention of winning and that won't change," while highlighting the importance of not overworking players early in the season.

To further bolster his squad, Barry-Murphy might consider calling up players from Cardiff's under-21 squad. Calum Scanlon, back from his loan at Liverpool, has recently played crucial minutes, including a full match against Derby.

Further complicating matters, Jack Moylan sustained a dead leg in the last match, but Cardiff remains hopeful he won’t require an extended recovery period. Other players like Joel Colwill, David Turnbull, Isaak Davies, and Callum Robinson are potential starters against Norwich after being rested in the previous game.

In the first round of the EFL Cup, Cardiff narrowly defeated Swindon Town 3-2, with Yousef Salech scoring twice. Last season, they reached the quarter-finals, marking their best performance since finishing as runners-up to Liverpool in 2012.