Cardiff City is hoping to secure their first Championship victory of the 2026-27 season when they host Charlton Athletic on Saturday. The match has received a boost with the return of 20-year-old Wales defender Dylan Lawlor, who has been sidelined since the start of the season due to a knee injury. Lawlor will be available for the game after returning to training this week, while fellow center-back Will Fish is still recovering from hernia surgery and is expected to be another week behind. Lawlor made 43 appearances for Cardiff and Wales during the 2025-26 season, but he was left out of Wales' recent Nations League squad due to his injury. He quickly rose to prominence under Cardiff head coach Brian Barry-Murphy in League One and is now being considered for a starting role against Charlton. Barry-Murphy confirmed that Lawlor has trained well and is fully fit, with no issues from his knee. The coach emphasized that the decision on Lawlor's position will depend on who is best suited for the game. The return of Lawlor and the imminent comeback of Fish is positive news for Cardiff, who have been dealing with injuries in their back line. In addition to signing Krystian Bielik from West Bromwich Albion, the Bluebirds have been using full-backs Perry Ng and Joel Bagan in central defensive roles. With Gabriel Osho also missing some games due to injury, Barry-Murphy said the return of Lawlor and Fish provides much-needed depth and flexibility. He described both players as outstanding and noted their presence strengthens the squad, which has struggled with depth in the early part of the season. Cardiff remains without injured Wales internationals Rubin Colwill and Isaak Davies, as well as defender Calum Chambers. Chambers is dealing with knee, neck, and back issues and is undergoing a further scan to determine the timeline for his return. Colwill and Davies are close to returning from ankle and hamstring injuries, respectively, and are expected to train during the international break. Barry-Murphy said the club will have more clarity on Chambers' return after the scan results are in.