What Cardiff's defeat at Derby means for the Bluebirds

What Cardiff City's defeat at Derby County means for the Bluebirds, Fulham and Aston Villa in the battle for promotion

Derby 3 Cardiff City 1

Cardiff City failed to extend their advantage over promotion rivals Fulham as they were beaten 3-1 by Derby County at Pride Park.

The Bluebirds went ahead in the 28th minute as Calulm Paterson unleashed an unstoppable volley beyond Scott Carson.

But a second half brace from former Bluebird Cameron Jerome as well as a strike from substitute Matej Vydra earned Gary Rowett's men all three points.

It means Cardiff remain just one point clear of Fulham with two matches left to play, although their destiny still remains in their own hands.

Neil Warnock's side could still clinch promotion into the promised land of the Premier League this weekend if they beat Hull City at the KCOM Stadium and Sunderland overcome Fulham at Craven Cottage on Friday.


But regardless of what the Cottagers do, Cardiff will claim runner-up spot if they claim wins in their games against Hull and Reading.

The Bluebirds' defeat means Aston Villa can still mathematically reach the top two, although they would be relying on Fulham and Cardiff to drop points in their final two games.


Remaining fixtures

Cardiff City: Hull City (A), Reading (H)

Fulham: Sunderland (H), Birmingham City (A)

Aston Villa: Derby County (H), Millwall (A)

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Extremely nerve racking end to the season, Hull is going to be a really tough game but we CAN do it, we can’t keep thinking about this loss and need to recover and focus. Chances like these don’t come around often

Extremely nerve racking end to the season, Hull is going to be a really tough game but we CAN do it, we can’t keep thinking about this loss and need to recover and focus. Chances like these don’t come around often

We need to start with our best players. Zohore, NML and Grujic have to start. If Jazz is ready, throw him in as well.

Extremely nerve racking end to the season, Hull is going to be a really tough game but we CAN do it, we can’t keep thinking about this loss and need to recover and focus. Chances like these don’t come around often

We need to start with our best players. Zohore, NML and Grujic have to start. If Jazz is ready, throw him in as well.

Spot on!
Play our best team!
That was NOT the best eleven we have that started tonight.
Keep chopping and changing we will NOT do it.
As for play offs no chance.
Really hope we do it but ive got big doubts after tonight.

We absolutely blown this tonight, Madine time to shine to make it 2-0 and probably would have killed the game then totally fks the shot up, i think that moment may have messed it up for us now, but i think and really hope that is the last time he plays for us now, the guys a complete and utter liability,

it's a 2 game season now - win both and we are up ( easier said than done !! )

Hull and Reading have nothing to play for.

It's going to be tough, have to remember that Fulham play Friday so they will likely be 2nd before we kick-off Saturday, will be massive pressure on us, anything other than a win at hull would put last game of the season in fulhams hands

Hull did' nt have anything to play for last week but put 5 past bristol last week

Hull did' nt have anything to play for last week but put 5 past bristol last week

It's going to be tough, Derby cheating has worn us out mid week before the biggest most pressured game of the season !!!

It's time to show our character, we will need even more changes they looked knackerd, and if we have any weakness at all it's when we play Saturday Tuesday Saturday, that is when we have been dropping points.