Cardiff boss Neil Warnock targets top spot after Boro win
Posted Sunday, February 18, 2018 by PA
Cardiff manager Neil Warnock has set his sights on Sky Bet Championship leaders Wolves after they moved into the automatic promotion places with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.
The 69-year-old is on course for a record eighth promotion to the top-flight after Bluebirds captain Sean Morrison headed the winner to lift them into the top two.
Defeats for Aston Villa and Derby allowed Cardiff to open up a two-point gap on the play-off places after their third victory in six matches.
Morrison out-muscled Ben Gibson at the back post to head home Junior Hoilett’s free-kick after 34 minutes.
“Kevin Blackwell told me we’re now 11 points clear of seventh, but I asked him how far off Wolves we are now,” said Warnock.
“That win is as good as it gets. We restricted them to one shot in the first half, had to defend long throws, could have scored more goals but we never make things simple.
“I just think we can get better. We have players coming back from injury, so I can change two or three to give boys a breather. We’re in a good place, but we can get better.
“I’m quite pleased to just tick along. I listened to others talking about Derby and Villa’s credentials, so long may that continue.
“That’s our 15th clean sheet so we’re only one off our target of 16, the concentration levels were really good.
“Sean has got better and better. In his own box and the opposition’s, he’s grown as the season has gone on. It was a very mature performance.”
Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis believes Morrison fouled Gibson in the act of scoring Cardiff’s crucial winner.
He said: “In the first half we found it difficult to cope with Cardiff. They are very good at what they do, they have an identity and they play to that identity.
“Set plays were always going to be important. Looking back at it Morrison was all over Gibson but we didn’t get that decision and that was the decisive moment.
“Cardiff have five or six players over 6ft 3ins let alone 6ft, so it was always going to difficult, but I have no complaints.
“We have 14 games to go and we have to put a run together. The pitch was difficult for the players today.
“We had good footballers in the team with Stewart Downing, Grant Leadbitter and Jonny Howson but Cardiff squeezed the life out of us.
“They are second in the league for a reason, they have an identity and they play to it whether you agree with it or not.”
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