Cardiff in contention for promotion
CARDIFF left it late but kept themselves on course for an automatic promotion place with a 2-0 win at Norwich.
Neil Warnock’s side know three wins from their remaining four games will be enough to join Wolves in the Premier League but they had to dig deep to earn a vital three points at Carrow Road.
Kenneth Zohore squeezed the ball past Angus Gunn in the 86th minute before Junior Hoilett’s goal in added time ensured Cardiff’s two-game losing streak was brought to an end.
Warnock has played down any injury concerns over centre-back Sol Bamba, and has suggested the Ivorian could be in contention
WHEN Mauricio Pochettino was manager of Espanyol he was once described as the ‘anti-Guardiola’ for the way that his pressing football was kryptonite to Guardiola’s Barcelona.
Here in England he has taken immense pride from his record against Guardiola – notably the four points Spurs took from City last year – and the way his teams play aggressive, expansive football with a fraction of City’s budget.
This season City have finally built a team to get the better of Pochettino, completing here their second heavy defeat of Tottenham this season. This might sound like a smaller detail in a bigger picture, but it does explain why they are about to win the Premier League.
Last season Spurs steamrolled City at White Hart Lane in October, producing a level of physical power Guardiola was not used to.
At the Etihad, Spurs rode their luck but took their chances and came away with a 2-2. After Spurs had flattened City home and away the previous season, it was a record to underline Pochettino’s achievement: building the team that could beat the richest club in the country.
So what has changed? The weight of to face Nottinham Forest next week.
The centreback was forced off just after half an hour, shortly after throwing himself at Dennis Srbeny’s effort during Cardiff City’s dramatic 2-0 win over Norwich.
His departure understandably raised plenty of concerns for Bluebirds fans ahead of what is a crucial end-of-season run for Cardiff in their bid to earn automatic promotion to the Premier League.
However, Warnock was quick to ease those concerns, although he admits he was unhappy at the manner of Bamba’s injury, adding that the two exchanged strong words in the dressing room at halftime.
“It’s an injury he’s had all season,” he said. “I had a bit of an argument with him at halftime with him because if he’d played a simple ball to Mendez-Laing on the right instead of being Beckenbauer, he wouldn’t have got hurt.”
Middlesbrough stormed into the playoff places after coming from behind to beat Bristol City 2-1 at the Riverside Stadium.
Veteran striker Steve Morison struck his fifth goal of the season for Millwall as they came back to draw 1-1 against fellow playoff hopefuls Sheffield United in the early kickoff.
Derby slipped out of the top six, but Burton moved off the bottom and to within five points of safety after a 3-1 victory over the Rams at the Pirelli Stadium. –Walesonline/ AFP