Neil Warnock is telling his Bluebirds players ‘Enjoy the moment’.
Manager Warnock’s Cardiff City team earned an eighth consecutive victory in a 3-1 home win against relegation threatened Burton Albion.
Warnock’s Warriors are unbeaten in their last 12 Championship matches and are second in the table behind Wolves.
Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock said: “The players have really done well.
“We knew it would be hard because everyone expected us to win and those games are the hardest ones in football.
“With the other games we have to come there won’t be that same expectation.
“The referee had a nightmare because it could have been a lot more comfortable for us.
“We have eight games to go and we need to do our best and hang in there.
“I don’t worry too much about records. I am just going to enjoy it and that is what I keep telling the lads. We should be enjoying this.”
City made one change to their team who defeated Brentford 3-1 in their last match with Craig Bryson replacing Loic Damour.
Aron Gunnarsson was among the substitutes, returning from injury for his first inclusion since November 2017.
Cardiff went ahead after 16 minutes when Joe Bennett played a fantastic pass over the top to Junior Hoilett on the left flank. The winger then the ball to Kenneth Zohore, who diverted hime with a clever finish for his fourth goal in the last six outings.
The Brewers were back on level terms five minutes later when Lloyd Dyer found space on the left before steering a low pass to Darren Bent, who converted from close range.
City continued to push for a second goal and had a glorious opportunity to make it 2-1 after 32 minutes. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing produced a superb turn of pace to round stranded former Cardiff goalkeeper Stephen Bywater on the far right.
Mendez-Laing picked out Bryson with his cross, but the midfield player fired just wide with a first time effort.
The Bluebirds were rewarded for their persistent pressure after Sean Morrison played a high ball over the top to Zohore, who held off his opponent and flicked on to Mendez-Laing running down the right.
He burst into the penalty area smashing the ball high into the near corner.
City made it 3-1 after 63 minutes when Callum Paterson lashed home after Junior Hoilett found Bryson in the box. Scottish international Paterson has now scored in four consecutive games, taking his tally to nine for the season.
Marko Grujic almost made it 4-1 when he was picked out by an exquisite Hoilett pass. The Serbian international saw his left footed attempt saved by Bywater.
Albion were far from happy with the result and manager Nigel Clough said: “I feel a bit hard done to with the decisions.
‘Conceding a goal just before half-time was a blow. The lad’s come back from an offside position, while Cardiff’s third followed a handball and their player was offside.
“It’s difficult to take when you get decisions go against you like that which lead to two goals.
“The timing of the goal, at the end of the first half, gave them such a huge lift. When you go in 2-1 ahead you feel 10 feet tall.
“In the first half, we should have got our noses in front and at least gone in level at half-time.”
Cardiff City: Etheridge,Manga, Morrison, Bamba, Bennett, Bryson (Gunnarson 66), Grujic, Paterson, Hoilett, Mendez-Laing (Wildschut 85), Zohore (Madine 70). Subs not used: Murphy, Peltier, Pilkington, J. Ward.
Burton Albion: Bywater, Brayford (Egert 75), Allen, McFadzean, Murphy, Bent (Sbarra 81), Dyer, Flanagan, Naylor, Sordell, Boyce (Davenport 69). Subs not used: Campbell, Buxton, Turner, Samuelsen.
Championship results today: Millwall 2, Nottingham Forest 0; Barnsley 2, Bristol City 2; Brentford 1, Sheffield United 1; Cardiff City 3, Burton Albion 1; Leeds United 2, Bolton Wanderers 1; Norwich City 0, Fulham 2; Sheffield Wednesday 4, Preston North End 1; Middlesbrough 1, Wolves 2; Reading 1, Queens Park Rangers 0.
CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE
| P | Team | GP | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolves | 39 | 26 | 7 | 6 | 71 | 34 | 37 | 85 | |
| 2 | Cardiff | 38 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 61 | 32 | 29 | 79 | |
| 3 | Fulham | 39 | 20 | 12 | 7 | 68 | 41 | 27 | 72 | |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 38 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 61 | 37 | 24 | 69 | |
| 5 | Derby | 38 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 56 | 36 | 20 | 62 | |
| 6 | Middlesbrough | 39 | 18 | 8 | 13 | 55 | 38 | 17 | 62 | |
| 7 | Bristol City | 39 | 16 | 14 | 9 | 56 | 44 | 12 | 62 | |
| 8 | Millwall | 39 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 48 | 37 | 11 | 61 | |
| 9 | Sheff Utd | 39 | 18 | 7 | 14 | 52 | 44 | 8 | 61 | |
| 10 | Preston North End | 39 | 15 | 15 | 9 | 49 | 41 | 8 | 60 | |
| 11 | Brentford | 39 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 55 | 47 | 8 | 55 | |
| 12 | Leeds | 39 | 15 | 8 | 16 | 52 | 54 | -2 | 53 | |
| 13 | Ipswich | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 47 | 48 | -1 | 52 | |
| 14 | Norwich | 39 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 41 | 46 | -5 | 52 | |
| 15 | QPR | 39 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 45 | 56 | -11 | 47 | |
| 16 | Nottm Forest | 39 | 13 | 7 | 19 | 43 | 56 | -13 | 46 | |
| 17 | Sheff Wed | 39 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 45 | 53 | -8 | 44 | |
| 18 | Hull | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 53 | 59 | -6 | 39 | |
| 19 | Reading | 39 | 9 | 12 | 18 | 45 | 57 | -12 | 39 | |
| 20 | Bolton | 39 | 9 | 12 | 18 | 34 | 58 | -24 | 39 | |
| 21 | Barnsley | 39 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 39 | 58 | -19 | 34 | |
| 22 | Birmingham | 38 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 28 | 57 | -29 | 33 | |
| 23 | Sunderland | 39 | 6 | 13 | 20 | 40 | 69 | -29 | 31 | |
| 24 | Burton A | 39 | 7 | 9 | 23 | 28 | 70 | -42 | 30 |