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Cardiff City are in dire straits at the moment, and the game against Sheffield United on Friday could well be make-or-break for the Bluebirds in their fight against relegation.
With four games to go, Cardiff are currently sitting in 22nd place in the Championship table, but are just one point behind Derby County above them.
Of the teams in the Championship relegation battle, though, Cardiff are in the worst form and have shown no signs of having what it takes to get out of trouble in recent weeks.
The mess at the club has left Omer Riza suggesting he should leave, and Neil Warnock is primed to take over. But, Cardiff have to deal with Sheffield United first, regardless of who is in charge.
- READ MORE: OPTA predicts Championship relegation as Plymouth Argyle claim massive win vs Sheffield United
Cardiff’s problems could get a lot worse vs Sheffield United
Discussing Cardiff’s current plight, Ali Maxwell shared his insights on the Dragon Sports podcast, and admitted he can totally see why fans of the club are so angry and frustrated at the moment.
He said: “Tough one… I understand where the negative feeling is coming from. Cardiff have had six winnable games in a row and only won one. That’s why they’re in this position. They can’t seem to get a 90 minute performance out of the team.
“Either the defence does its job and the attack lets it down, or they manage to score two like they did against Preston, but they’ve already conceded twice. Similarly, they can have a decent start and then a poor finish. It’s frustrating from a neutral point of view, so I can’t imagine what it’s like for the fans.”
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 19 |  PortsmouthPortsmouth | 42 | 12 | 10 | 20 | 50 | 66 | -16 | 46 |
| 20 |  Hull CityHull City | 42 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 41 | 50 | -9 | 45 |
| 21 |  DerbyDerby | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 44 | 54 | -10 | 43 |
| 22 |  CardiffCardiff | 42 | 9 | 15 | 18 | 45 | 66 | -21 | 42 |
| 23 |  LutonLuton | 42 | 10 | 10 | 22 | 37 | 63 | -26 | 40 |
| 24 |  PlymouthPlymouth | 42 | 9 | 13 | 20 | 44 | 82 | -38 | 40 |
As for the trip to Bramall Lane, Maxwell suggested this could be an absolute nightmare game for Cardiff, but insisted they can take hope from the recent run of poor form the Blades have been experiencing.
“The Sheffield United game on Friday, on paper, is a disaster. Away to the team in third, not ideal,” Maxwell said. “United have lost three in a row now, with teams like Oxford and Plymouth taking all three points off them. Why can’t Cardiff?”
Sheffield United will be desperate to beat Cardiff, and the Bluebirds have an awful record against the Blades. But, the disparity between the two teams could work in Cardiff’s favour, according to Maxwell.
He added: “I wonder if there is some benefit in knowing what this game will look like at Bramall Lane? They’ll be defending for their life, they won’t have the ball for the majority of the game, so from an attacking point of view, it’s straight forward.
“They must make the most of counter attacking opportunities, make the most of set-pieces. I wonder if that might simplify things for Cardiff. It could bring out a more positive performance.”
Cardiff City are better away from home
Funnily enough, Cardiff might find that they have more luck against Sheffield United thanks to the game being away from home.
With pressure mounting on Omer Riza and the players, Cardiff fans are not exactly holding back when it comes to criticism from the stands. And, there’s even statistics to prove that the Bluebirds are far better on the road.
Maxwell said: “Cardiff have an awful record against the top four… this could see them lose all eight games against those teams. But, they have picked up important points on the road.
“Against teams between fifth and 16th, Cardiff haven’t lost a single away game… they can dig deep, they might find it easier on their travels without the pressure of the home crowd.”
Of course, picking up a point at Bramall Lane is never easy, regardless of what form they’re in. But, the Championship is the best league in the world, where anyone can beat anyone, and Cardiff will have to produce a surprise this weekend to save their status in the division.