HEAVEN OR HELL

Warnock: Keeping Cardiff up would be my greatest achievement, but going down would be the worst disappointment of my career

NEIL WARNOCK says his Cardiff side are ready to shock those who gave them no hope of survival.

The Bluebirds can turn up the heat on Brighton this afternoon with a win against relegated Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The Seagulls, who host Newcastle tonight, crumbled under the weight of the relegation pressure in Tuesday night’s defeat at Tottenham.

And Cardiff boss Warnock is well aware of the possible highs and lows that lie ahead.

“It would be my biggest achievement, keeping Cardiff up,” he said. “But it would be my biggest disappointment if things didn’t work out.

“Unfortunately for me I can’t be at the end of those crosses heading them into the goal. You just have to hope the important players perform in these crucial games.”

Warnock reckons his side still have an opportunity to tear up the script before the end of the season. He said: “One by one we have overcome all the doom-and-gloom predictions and we’ve enjoyed it.

“We still have our biggest challenge ahead and I’ve got to say it’s an opportunity for the lads to write their names in history.

“I can’t ask any more of the players. I’ll be happy if they just play on Saturday the way they have been playing these last couple of weeks.”

Cardiff would move level on points with Brighton, albeit with an inferior goal difference, if they win today, making Bighton’s task against Newcastle tonight even more difficult.

Warnock has a selection dilemma in midfield with Joe

Ralls out for the season and Harry Arter struggling with a calf problem.

The Bournemouth loanee is the brother in-law of Fulham boss Scott Parker, who he credits with saving his career after he was released by Charlton as a youngster.

Warnock has cottoned on to their brotherly bond and joked that he has banned Arter (below) from the training pitch to prevent his survival secrets reaching the Fulham camp. He said: “Harry’s brother-inlaw is Scott Parker so we’re banning him from watching us train this week, just in case he’s after going to Fulham next season! “I think everybody knows the pundits at the start of the season didn’t give us any chance of staying up. “That was understandable when you look at the differences between ourselves and the other clubs. But we’ve never thrown the towel in.”

The 70-year-old manager has had to cope with the tragic loss of Emiliano Sala and the crushing lows of questionable refereeing decisions this season.

But he believes an escape from relegation would be the biggest achievement of his rollercoaster managerial career.