MALKY WARY OF A BUOYANT BIRMINGHAM

Malky Mackay spoke in depth on Monday morning about his side's defeat of Blackpool and looked ahead to Tuesday evening's clash at home to Birmingham City (TICKETS HERE).

"I thought Saturday's match was as complete a performance as we've had this season, bearing in mind the opposition," said the Gaffer. "I think Blackpool will be definitely there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

"They are a very fancied team, with a strong squad and an experienced manager. With their team we knew it was always going to be a tough game for us, but I think that on Saturday, from the very first minute to the last, I was so impressed with our boys' performance, and it had the stadium rocking as well.

"We've been dealing with that expectation (of being favourites for promotion) since day one of pre-season this year. In a way we've been pushed to the fore of a top-six group of teams, so it's not something that's surprising. As I've said, I think Blackpool will be up there, and it's great that the likes of Blackpool, Wolves and Leeds have come here and we have played the way we have against them."

In reference to his Cardiff City side's form and performance, Malky added: "I understand that teams at the top of the table may show 'swagger' around the March time period, but at the moment it's far too early in the season. Too few games have taken place for teams to have that swagger that teams have when they think they're on the way up.

"My players have nothing to get carried away about. We've only played eight league games in an unforgiving league. The minute that you do decide to focus on anything other than the task at hand - the team in front of you, the game you're about to play - is when you slip up. It's business as usual at the club - we've had twenty-four hours for the players to enjoy their win and then it's straight back to the task in hand. This week we don't even have a week to think about it.

"Birmingham have just had a fantastic performance down at Brighton, coming off the back of a shock result against Barnsley. For the manager and the players to turn in that performance at Brighton shows you what kind of threat they're going to be tomorrow night, so I don't expect anything other than a fully-committed Lee Clark, a fully-committed staff and a fully-committed team."