Cardiff City

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Cardiff City midfielder David Turnbull says the Championship relegation battle is not where the Bluebirds are meant to be as a club.

Scotland international Turnbull arrived in south Wales last February, signing a three-year deal in a £2m move from Celtic.

The club were hoping to push for play-offs under Erol Bulut only to finish in mid-table – before a woeful start to the new campaign ended in Omer Riza coming in as boss.

But Cardiff remain just one point above the bottom three heading into the final eight games of the season.

And 25-year-old Turnbull said: "Throughout the season it's not been good enough – we've been way too inconsistent.

"When we need to step up we seem to be doing that, but we need more now. For the rest of the season we need to be on it and put run of results together.

"This is not where Cardiff are supposed to be as a club, in my opinion.

"But the boys know that and it's about sticking together, getting through this and hopefully push on next season."

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Turnbull has only recently returned to the Cardiff side after more than three months out with a hamstring injury.

Now recovered from the surgery and having made his playing return in the much-needed win at Blackburn Rovers a fortnight ago, Turnbull is keen to make an impact when it counts in Cardiff's bid for safety.

Speaking ahead of the visit of Sheffield Wednesday, Turnbull said: "The injury came at a bad time personally, when I felt I was asserting myself on the team and we were putting on some good performances.

"I've got a lot to give for the rest of the season and feel I can make an impact if I'm given a chance.

"Every game is massive that we need to treat them like cup finals, and there's positivity that we can catch some of the teams above us.

"There's games we can win – we've not showed enough over the season but if we play like we know we can we can get the results."

Cardiff City host Sheffield Wednesday as they look to keep clear of the relegation zone on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Bluebirds are only one point above 22nd placed Derby County, with the Rams on the charge with three successive wins.

Cardiff put an end to a three match losing streak last time out with a 2-1 victory over play off contenders Blackburn Rovers but will need to make it two in a row to secure safety.

• Cardiff City have won just one of their last six home league games against Sheffield Wednesday (D4 L1), though that sole victory did come in this exact fixture last season with a 2-1 success.

• Since the start of 2008, Sheffield Wednesday have won just two of their 18 away league games against sides from Wales (D7 L9), though the Owls did win on their last visit in a 1-0 victory over Swansea City in February.

• Cardiff have lost six of their last eight league games against sides from Yorkshire (W1 D1), conceding 24 goals in total during those matches.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won each of their last two away league games whilst scoring 3+ goals in the process; the Owls' last won more in succession while netting 3+ times in each back in December 2004 in the third tier.

• Sheffield Wednesday have scored 53 goals across their 38 league games this season, last scoring more at this stage of a campaign in the second tier in 2015-16 (56).

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Cardiff City boss Omer Riza says the club probably mismanaged their pre-season and admits it could be a factor in the injury troubles they have had throughout the campaign.

The Bluebirds have had a number of hamstring injuries, with Wales captain Aaron Ramsey now ruled out for the season after hamstring surgery, joining goalkeeper Jak Alnwick on the sidelines with the same injury.

Midfielder David Turnball has just returned from three-and-a-half months out from hamstring surgery and having battled injuries all season, Riza admitted he will look to conduct pre-season differently to previous boss Erol Bulut.

"Obviously there are a lot of games in the Championship and it lead to fatigue, but every team is in the same position," he said.

"But I am not sure if we got pre-season right if I'm honest. I think we went game heavy. I wouldn't do that.

"I'd be looking for robustness, strength, power, pace and tactical training in the first week to 10 days, rather than go game loaded.

"We lost an element of that physical side with the players early on and we've had a knock-on effect and injuries because of that. Not purely because of that, but that is a factor."

Riza says he has sympathy for Ramsey, who is out of contract at the end of the season and has expressed interest in extending his tenure with his boyhood club.

"It's another unfortunate injury for Aaron, it's tough mentally for him to have to come back from another injury and operation," Riza added.

"He's been injured for a lot of the season. It's unfortunate.

"Discussions will obviously take place about where it all moves forward."

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Cardiff City could be without top goalscorer Callum Robinson for Saturday's visit of Sheffield Wednesday.

The Owls, who have the third best away record in the Championship, arrive in the Welsh capital with Cardiff just a point and a place outside of the relegation zone.

The absence of Robinson and another forward, Chris Willock, would be disappointing for Cardiff who do welcome back some players from injury, with winger Callum O'Dowda set to feature despite leaving Republic of Ireland duty with muscle tightness.

"We have a couple of knocks to Chris Willock and Callum Robinson, they potentially won't be available, but other than that, everyone is back," boss Omer Riza told BBC Sport Wales.

"Perry Ng has come back in now. David Turnbull, Alex Robertson, Will Alves and Ollie Tanner are training. Andy Rinomhota hasn't come back in yet from international duty.

"Callum O'Dowda felt a bit of tightness so it was better that he didn't go because of the risk there. He's doing well and is fit for Saturday. Tanner has been in non-contact for a few sessions but was in contact today. He'll be in contention to be in the squad.

"Anwar El Ghazi has been ill, he's got over that now and is training well."

Riza expects a tough test from a Sheffield Wednesday side who have been much better on the road.

"They're a good side. They've got some attacking threats, they've got a good structure and good concepts in their game, in possession and out of possession in respect of pressing and controlling the game at times in possession. It'll be an interesting game," Riza added.

"We're looking forward to it, a home game and hopefully we'll have a good crowd behind the boys. We're expecting a good game."

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Cardiff City boss Omer Riza says he firmly believe the club can avoid relegation from the Championship.

Under Riza, Cardiff's points-per-game tally would put them 14th in the Championship, but after a record-bad start under previous boss Erol Bulut, the Bluebirds are one point and one place outside of the drop zone.

Riza faced severe scrutiny before a 2-1 win over Blackburn just before the international break, but the Bluebirds boss says he is sure his side will survive their relegation battle ahead of Saturday's visit from play-off chasing Sheffield Wednesday.

"I think we are in a very good place. I feel definitely, yes, we will survive," he said. "The boys know what is being asked of them.

"We've lost games everyone expects us to win, but then we go and do something and pick ourselves up again. I feel we are in that moment again now.

"We had one point at the start of the season, so where we've come from to where we are now… all we can do is try and win games. Stay positive and win games."

Riza feels confident that his side can pick up the points they need, speculating that around 50 points is likely to be the total needed for safety.

"It's in our hands," he said. "At the moment we are above that (relegation) line.

"We are one point above the relegation zone. We are focused. We have to take points and avoid relegation.

"We need to be in survival mode. We have to do what we have to do."

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With eight games to go and Cardiff City locked in a Championship relegation scrap, we asked for your views on what it will take for the Bluebirds to avoid the drop.

Here are some of your responses as the Bluebirds prepare for Saturday's home game with Sheffield Wednesday.

Daz - It will be a scrap, but it's in our hands. I think winning our remaining home games and maybe a couple of away points could be enough.

Tom - I think we need four wins from the last eight games. Our attack has been going well and the midfield is providing fight/steel. The defence needs to cut out the errors; it would benefit from a settled selection. It could go to wire but we're within touching distance of four teams above us. I'm hoping goal difference is not a factor.

Ian - We have a decent squad, with a manager who just cannot pick a team. Personally, the only way to stay up is to replace [Omer] Riza.

Rhiannon - I think now the main focus has to be playing the strongest team we have and playing every game like it is our last. We have to leave everything on pitch and fight.

Rhys – 48 points

Dan - If we survive and stay up, the whole process will repeat again next season. Whilst Vincent Tan has been happy to invest in the past to push for promotion, he has lost all desire to do so now. We scrape the barrel with signings with little pedigree. The players/manager give everything, but we need a positive structure. New owners desperately needed.

Gary - Can't see us staying up with Riza in charge unfortunately.

Tim - Heart says we'll be okay but head not so sure. Derby have hit a bit of form and when you compare our remaining fixtures to theirs, it is going to be very tough to better their results to stay ahead of them.

Jon - I think we need four wins and a draw to stay up which is going to be a tall order given our indifferent form this season. I'm confident that with [David] Turnbull back and [Yousef] Salech scoring the goals we will do it!. Riza needs to make up his mind regarding his best team and bar injuries or suspensions stick with it!

Robin - Our four home games are crucial. The manager has had the squad for two weeks, they all should be ready and have no doubt what is required. We have to believe we can do this, and I think we will.

David - Cardiff will go down and deservedly so. Cheap managerial appointments while spending stupid money on salaries such as [Aaron] Ramsey.

Dai - Three wins and a draw should be enough to survive - but can Cardiff get three wins?

Dennis - Riza plays a different formation and different players every week and so I'm not confident we can stay up.

Marc - I think the Bluebirds are going down. Two reasons why: the manager can't influence or get enough out of our better players, and he doesn't seem to be able to change things up as games progress. I don't say he's not good enough, I say he's not good enough YET.

Phil - With the squad Cardiff have we should be doing better. I think it is a 50-50 call we stay in league but it shouldn't be.

Dean - I think we are finally down. It's been coming for years. A badly run club. Millions wasted. Inconsistent decisions. Cheap staff and expensive players. No DNA for the club to build from. Need some football people in with the businessmen!

Nathan - I think given the remaining fixtures for the current bottom three, nine points could keep us up. Will we get them? I'm not sure! We're so inconsistent and the atmosphere at home has been awful. If we can beat Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday then yes, we stay up, if not it will be difficult. Come on Bluebirds!

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Cardiff City return to Championship action this weekend - with the battle for safety back in full focus.

The Bluebirds gave their bid to stay in the second tier a much-needed boost with the win at Blackburn Rovers before the international window.

It has appeared to ease pressure on manager Omer Riza, but the threat of relegation still looms.

With Derby County also winning last week, Cardiff, on 39 points, remain just a point and a place ahead of the bottom three Rams in 22nd, and four points above Luton in 23rd.

The visit of Sheffield Wednesday to Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday marks the first of the final eight games of the season.

Back-to-back away games follow - including QPR and a midweek trip to Preston - before Stoke head to south Wales, the Potters currently level on points with Cardiff.

Then it's a Good Friday game at promotion-chasing Sheffield United before Oxford United at home, with Gary Rowett's side not certain they will be out of the battle.

The season finishes with West Brom at home on 26 April and Norwich at Carrow Road on Saturday, 3 May.

Traditionally, 50 points has been seen as enough to secure safety - although it wasn't enough to save Birmingham City who went down on that tally.

So what total will be enough for the Bluebirds? How many wins do you think it will take to stay in the Championship.

And where do you think Riza's side will pick up the points to survive?

Cardiff fans, you can have your say here., external

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The kick-off time of Cardiff City's Good Friday match at Sheffield United has been moved after the Championship fixture was chosen for television coverage.

The game will now start at 17:30 BST on 18 April to be shown on Sky Sports.

United are in a strong position to make an instant return to the Premier League as they are second in the Championship, only trailing leaders Leeds United on goal difference.

Cardiff, meanwhile, are battling to survive as they sit 21st in the table, just one point above the relegation zone.

Although the Bluebirds lost the reverse league fixture 2-0 in December, they beat the Blades 1-0 at Bramall Lane in the FA Cup less than a month later.

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Cardiff City will assess Joe Ralls during the international break after he felt a recurrence of a calf problem during his side's 2-1 win at Blackburn Rovers.

The captain did not feature in six successive Championship matches after boss Omer Riza revealed he had sustained a groin problem in a 2-1 loss at Portsmouth on 11 February.

Ralls started against Rovers on Saturday but had to be replaced by Rubin Colwill in the 37th minute at Ewood Park.

"Rallsy's come back from a calf strain and he's felt it again after about 20 minutes," Riza told BBC Radio Wales.

"Bless him, he carried on and pushed through another 15 minutes and we had to get him off because he was feeling it.

"We'll look at what the damage is with that."

The win in Lancashire also saw the return of midfielder Andy Rinomhota who missed the defeats against Sunderland and Burnley with a hamstring injury.

But Riza admitted he was pleased to see the 27-year-old play for an hour as the Bluebirds returned to winning ways against Blackburn.

"Same with Andy Rinomhota, he's come back from a hamstring injury," added Riza.

"To get 60 minutes out of him was pleasing. We couldn't push it much more than that."

Cardiff sit a point above the Championship's relegation zone and return to action against Sheffield Wednesday in the Welsh capital on Saturday, 29 March (15:00 GMT).

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Cardiff City's Callum O'Dowda has withdrawn from this week's international action after pulling out of the Republic of Ireland squad.

But the injury is not said to be serious to give hopes one of the Bluebirds' key men will be fit to return to Championship action next weekend.

Republic of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson had selected the Bluebirds wing-back for the Nations League play-off ties with Bulgaria.

But it was announced the 29-year-old was ruled out through injury, which is thought to have been a minor knock.

O'Dowda has been a consistent performer for Cardiff and featured as Omer Riza's side picked up a vital win at Blackburn Rovers in their bid to avoid relegation from the Championship.

The 38-cap Callum Robinson, Cardiff's top scorer this season with 12 goals, was not selected by Ireland.

The Bluebirds will seek to follow up their victory at Ewood Park when they welcome Sheffield Wednesday to Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, 29 March.

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Iwan Roberts hailed Yakou Meite's matchwinner at Blackburn Rovers as the most important goal of the forward's Cardiff City career.

Meite, 29, scored with his first touch of the match after replacing Callum Robinson in the 72nd minute of the Championship contest at Ewood Park.

It was only the fourth goal the Ivory Coast international has scored for the Bluebirds since joining from Reading in the summer of 2023.

And former Wales striker Roberts felt Cardiff had to win against Rovers to ensure Omer Riza kept his position as manager.

"I thought if Omer Riza lost the game he would have lost his job," Roberts told BBC Radio Cymru's Dros Frecwast programme.

"Yakou Meite, he'd only been on the pitch for a minute and he scores the goal that wins it.

"He's only scored four goals for the club in 66 games, but that's certainly the most important."

Despite victory, Cardiff sit just one point above the Championship's relegation zone with eight matches remaining this season.

And Roberts feels the Bluebirds must continue to pick up wins to stay ahead of the likes of Derby County and Luton Town who have improved of late.

"It's only their second away win this season and they went into the game having lost four in a row, including against Aston Villa in the FA Cup," he added.

"They're still only one point ahead of Derby who are third from bottom and they've got great momentum, they've won their last three.

"Luton, they've taken seven points from their last four games, those two teams are starting to pick up points."

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Manager Omer Riza says Cardiff City will approach their last eight games of the Championship season like cup finals as they fight to avoid relegation.

Saturday's 2-1 win at Blackburn Rovers was only the Bluebirds' second away win of the season and ended a three-match losing run.

Cardiff remain deep in trouble in 21st place and just one point above the bottom three, but victory at Ewood Park eased the pressure that was mounting on Riza.

"It was a much-needed win. The mentality and approach now is about getting the job done," Riza told BBC Sport Wales.

"To a man, the boys did that and we got the result we deserved.

"Coming off the back of the Luton defeat [last Tuesday], we said we had nine finals. One down, eight to go."

The Championship now takes a break for the international window, with Cardiff returning to league action on Saturday, 29 March with a home game against Sheffield Wednesday.

Cardiff City will look to avoid dropping into the relegation zone as they visit play off chasers Blackburn Rovers on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Bluebirds are only one point above 22nd placed Derby County and within three points of basement dwellers Plymouth Argyle.

The Welsh side will need to put an end to a three-game losing run if they are to take all three points against Blackburn and ensure safety, though the Lancashire side's form hasn't been all that bright lately either.

Rovers have not won any of their past four matches to drift four points shy of the top six.

• Blackburn Rovers have only lost one of their last 12 league games against Cardiff City (W6 D5) and have beaten them in three of their last four meetings (D1).

• Cardiff are winless in their last eight league visits to Blackburn (D5 L3) and have lost each of their last three at Ewood Park. Their last win at this venue came in December 2012 under Malky Mackay.

• Blackburn Rovers have won three of their last five home league games (D1 L1), with two of those wins coming under John Eustace and one under caretaker manager David Lowe.

• Cardiff City have won only one of their last 20 away league matches (D9 L10), beating Watford 2-1 in December.

• Blackburn forward Andreas Weimann has scored seven Championship goals against Cardiff City, more than he has against any other team.