Neil Warnock: Cardiff City boss urges players to embrace pressure

Armand Traore set Cardiff on their way to victory over Bolton on Tuesday

Manager Neil Warnock has urged Cardiff City to embrace the pressure of their end-of-season run-in as they target promotion to the Premier League.

The Bluebirds are within one point of the Championship's automatic promotion places after Tuesday's 2-0 win over Bolton.

Cardiff are also in a strong position for a play-off spot as they are nine points clear of seventh-placed Preston.

"We've just got to enjoy the moment," said Warnock.

"We have another tough one on Saturday, a different type of game because Middlesbrough will come to try and win the game and they have good players.

• Report: Cardiff City 2-0 Bolton

• All Tuesday's EFL action

"But I'm looking forward to it, I'm looking forward to all the run-in.

"We're safe now, we can't get relegated, so let's enjoy it. We've got a good side and I think we can get better."

Tuesday's comfortable victory over Bolton - courtesy of first-half goals by Armand Traore and Sean Morrison - extended Cardiff's unbeaten run in the Championship to five games.

The result saw the Bluebirds stay fourth in the table, level on points with Derby County in third place and one behind Aston Villa in second.

League leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers, meanwhile, appear to be riding off into the sunset with a 12-point cushion at the Championship's summit.

Warnock has previously said Cardiff are targeting the play-offs, but the 69-year-old would not rule out a late charge for the automatic promotion places.

"You look at Villa, Derby, Fulham, and Wolves, they're the ones with the big wage bills in the league," the former Sheffield United manager added.

"Every game, whether it's Bolton or whether it's Middlesbrough at the top end, we just have to look after ourselves.

"We have a genuine bunch, we feel we can beat anybody on our day.

"We'll get those games where decisions go against us like it did at Millwall [last Friday] and we've had a few decisions like that cost us points lately.

"But all credit to the boys for continuing in that vein. It's quite entertaining how we're playing, I think the crowd's up for it as well.

"I hope we get a decent crowd for Saturday for Middlesbrough because it's always a good game."