The top of the Championship is turning into a cracking battle with West Ham showing their strength by winning 4 - 1 at Blackpool despite playing with 10 men for 36 minutes. Midfielder Henri Lansbury went in goal after Rob Green was sent off for a foul that was very similar to the one that Aaran Lee Barret committed at Ipswich on Saturday.
Lee Barrett was only cautioned while Green was given a straight red. West Ham had no sub leeper on the bench. Despite that they still went on to score two more goals as they were leading 2 - 1 when the incident happened. Blackpool losing did City a favour as realistically West Ham should be strong enough to go on and win this League.
Another form team, Birmingham, also picked up an away win. They overcame Barnsley with former City player Chris Burke scoring their opening goal.
Middlesbrough won away at Millwall to go level on points with City with a game in hand.
Cardiff have no league game this weekend and then the following week play on the Sunday against West Ham. One win in the last five for Cardiff has seen us lose any advantage we had over the chasing teams.
Top half of the table (after games played on Tuesday 21st February).
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Ham United | 31 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 26 | 17 | 18 | 6 | 7 | 51 | 32 | 60 | +19 | ||||
| 2 | Southampton | 32 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 37 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 8 | 7 | 58 | 32 | 59 | +26 | ||||
| 3 | Birmingham City | 31 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 23 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 26 | 22 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 49 | 28 | 54 | +21 | ||||
| 4 | Reading | 31 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 24 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 6 | 9 | 39 | 27 | 54 | +12 | ||||
| 5 | Cardiff City | 32 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 31 | 20 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 19 | 19 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 50 | 39 | 53 | +11 | ||||
| 6 | Middlesbrough | 31 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 19 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 38 | 32 | 53 | +6 | ||||
| 7 | Blackpool | 32 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 26 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 27 | 27 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 53 | 42 | 52 | +11 | ||||
| 8 | Hull City | 30 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 31 | 25 | 50 | +6 | ||||
| 9 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 31 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 36 | 33 | 49 | +3 | ||||
| 10 | Leeds United | 32 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 25 | 25 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 27 | 23 | 14 | 6 | 12 | 52 | 48 | 48 | +4 | ||||
| 11 | Burnley | 32 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 25 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 19 | 21 | 14 | 5 | 13 | 44 | 37 | 47 | +7 | ||||
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 31 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 17 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 20 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 33 | 30 | 43 | +3 | ||||