Neil Warnock: Cardiff City boss hoping to avoid Liverpool 'battering'
Last updated on .From the section Cardiff
Manager Neil Warnock hopes his Cardiff side avoid a "battering" as they aim to boost their Premier League survival hopes against title-chasing Liverpool.
Cardiff, who are 18th and two points adrift of safety, have lost all 10 of their matches against top-six sides this season, conceding 31 goals.
On Sunday, they host a Reds side who go into the weekend top of the league and on an eight-match winning run.
"I'd hate to concede five like we have done," said Warnock.
"I don't like my teams losing concentration like that.
"But when you look at the quality some of these teams have, they could've scored more on the day.
"We've just got to try and give a good account of ourselves for the fans that are going because it's a sell-out - and it probably could've sold out twice more.
"It's going to be a great day. I don't want it to be a lovely occasion but we still get battered."
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Warnock and his Cardiff players are used to confounding expectations, having defied the odds to win automatic promotion from the Championship last season.
The Bluebirds were widely tipped for an instant return to the second tier but, following Tuesday's win at relegation rivals Brighton, they have revived their hopes of surviving.
The result at the Amex Stadium left them two points behind 17th-placed Brighton, though the Seagulls have a game in hand.
Before that victory, Cardiff's relegation chances were rated at 94%. That has now been reduced to 83%, though Warnock is relishing another opportunity to prove others wrong.
"We've still got a massive job to do," he added. "You'd still want to be in Brighton's shoes.
"We're just glad that with four games to go we're still surprising people. I like it when we surprise people."
The odds will be stacked against Cardiff again when they face Liverpool on Sunday.
The last time the Bluebirds beat the Reds was 1959, as the legendary Bill Shankly's first game in charge of Liverpool ended in a 4-0 defeat.
"Was it really? Wow. What a man. My favourite manager of all time," said Warnock.
But the 70-year-old added: "The last time I beat Liverpool was at Crystal Palace a few years ago [in 2014]. It depends on which one you look at."
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No stupid promises, no stupid goals. I cannot think of a single other manager in the top 3 divisions who could do a better job with possibly the lesser squad in the Premiership. Excluding the obvious managers.
We had no money to spend and the same key players from last season.
Proud to be a Bluebird!
Still, the goal difference could do with a fluffing, but fear Cardiff will put up a better fight than we're being led into believing - they need points too. Just hope squad won't be too rotated, & consistency maintained.
Playing against sides with superior (sometimes vastly) squads can not be easy and credit must be given to these managers.
They were robbed against Chelsea and that injustice may well seal their fate and also help Chelsea finish in the top four. Very, very unfair.
Good luck for the rest of the season.
"Liverpool just need to go there and collect the points."
Ah, spoken by someone who hasn't often been at the business-end of a title-winning campaign.
Mark my words, it is never as simple as that, and every year when they roll out the run-ins, pundits and fans alike "assume" certain points/victories, but there are always always surprises, and it seems they never learn!
Don't misunderstand me, I hope Liverpool win. They've played good football for the last few seasons now. But there is always an unexpected slip-up, and LFC's games are almost written off as wins.
I must admit, you couldn't hope for a better run-in. And I hope you do win them all. What I will say is that if you do, you'll win the PL. City will drop points, I'm almost certain of it.
Traditionally, the Welsh and English leagues were in the same system. Poor transport links from north to south wales meant it was often easier to cross the border. The welsh league was created in the early 90s and teams were invited to join, not all of which accepted.
Also, 6 welsh teams play in england and 6 english teams play in wales. Not including chester who play in wales.
Fancy the scousers to win the Champions League so a beating by Europe’s finest wouldn’t be too bad.
Already nervous for the Fulham and Palace game. Probably our most important games in years!
Warnock is no tactician - a bit Allardyce to be honest (as a person too) - but you can be sure he'll have his players up for it.