Lancashire

A potential move to take the Championship play-offs down to eighth place would damage the competition's credibility, according to former Huddersfield, Stoke and Middlesbrough defender Tommy Smith.

The EFL board is set to discuss proposals to increase the number of teams in the end-of-season play-offs from four to six but Smith, who was promoted to the Premier League with Huddersfield via the play-offs in 2017 is not a fan of the idea.

"It's not for me - I think it suits teams who don't really have a chance to get in the top six," he told the BBC's EFL podcast 72+.

"From a credibility point of view the top six is there to be aimed at and you have to earn your place in it."

The play-offs were first introduced for the 1986-87 season where sides finishing third down to fifth were involved along with the team third-from-bottom in the top flight.

After two seasons the format was changed to be played out between teams finishing third to sixth in the second tier.

"To finish eighth in the Championship and potentially get promoted to the Premier League it just doesn't sit right with me," added Smith.

"Notoriously over the past years getting into the top six is tough and when you get in there after a long hard season it feels brilliant, so to make it a top eight it dilutes it."

Image source, Getty Images

Burnley manager Scott Parker speaking after their 2-1 exit from the Carabao Cup against Cardiff City: "Fundamentally, it was a disappointing night.

"Firstly, disappointing result, because we came here wanting to win the game. I think it's fair to say performance-wise, we were way short, certainly in the first half. Really, really short.

"And in terms of where we want to be, in terms of what we were, and what we are, we just felt a little bit short of our standards tonight.

"Second half, there was an improvement, but if you give a team a two-nil head start in the first half it gave ourselves a big climb.

"We had some good chances in the second half, but I think on reflection of the game if we're all being brutally honest, we probably didn't deserve to win."

On the problems Burnley faced: "I think there were a number of issues. There were some tactical elements we needed to fix a little bit.

"Generally, we were poor in the first half in every phase of our game really, in terms of pressing, in terms of our intensity.

"We opened up the pitch really easily for the opposition. On the flipside, with the ball as well, we were quite slow at times.

"It was just a general mix really - we just looked a little yard off it in every phase."

Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, Getty Images

This was a Championship fixture last season but, with Burnley soaring back to the Premier League with 100 points and Cardiff finishing bottom to drop down to the third tier for the first time in 22 years, the two sides met at Turf Moor two divisions apart.

Whereas Burnley boss Scott Parker switched his entire team from the weekend, Cardiff's line-up showed five changes from their first defeat of the season at home to Bradford City.

The Bluebirds' greater continuity – and promising start to the campaign – was evident as they controlled the opening exchanges, pressing Burnley effectively and keeping possession with relative ease.

Burnley's new-look team struggled to string together any consistent patterns of play, but they should have equalised when Armando Broja was set free by Marcus Edwards' through ball, only to see his low effort kept out by Nathan Trott.

After Zian Flemming had pulled a goal back, the Cardiff keeper made two good saves from Mike Tresor and following that, although Burnley desperately flung the ball into the visitors' penalty area late on, Brian Barry-Murphy's men stood firm.

But Cardiff had chances to extend their lead and were well worth their victory.

Burnley boss Scott Parker changes his entire team for tonight's League Cup tie with Cardiff.

None of those who started against Nottingham Forest at the weekend are involved at all, with Lesley Ugochukwu - suspended for that match - among those starting this game.

Burnley XI: Weiss, Sonne, Tuanzebe, Worrall, Humphreys, Pires, Ugochukwu, Hannibal, Edwards, Broja, Flemming

Subs: Hladky, Pouani, Clark, Pimlott, Brierley, Campbell, Banel, Tresor, Barnes

League One side Cardiff make five changes with Perry Ng, Calum Chambers, Joel Colwill, Isaak Davies and Callum Robinson all coming in.

Cardiff City XI: Trott, Ng, Chambers, Fish, Bagan, Wintle, J. Colwill, R. Colwill, Ashford, Davies, Robinson.

Subs: Turner, Osho, Giles, Mafico, Turnbull, Kellyman, Nyakuhwa, Willock, Salech.

There are eight games in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday - six involving Premier League sides - and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Barnsley v Brighton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3

• Burnley v Cardiff City

• Fulham v Cambridge United - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Lincoln City v Chelsea - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Wolves v Everton

• Liverpool v Southampton (20:00) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

Kick-off times 19:45 BST unless stated

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