Second place in the table and automatic promotion on merit is at stake and it's what we should be focussed on.
Cardiff City Stadium will rock with over 25,000 Bluebirds on Monday (5:15pm) for a live Sky game that could witness Cardiff move into 2nd place and shift the pressure onto Norwich's shoulders as they face Portsmouth in the live Sky game at 7:45pm.
It's a superb evening of Championship football with the only real battle left to decide in the division. The relegation issues are all sorted and it would take a specific sequence of results and goals to stop Forest from clinching the final play off place. The issue of who finishes second is the big issue.
Cardiff could go second with a point, but Norwich would then only need a point at Pompey to regain the advantage. For Cardiff to wrestle 2nd place firmly from Norwich's grasp we really need a victory for Cardiff and Norwich not to win. Surely Norwich's luck has to run out, it was incredible last week to see them score a 96th minute winner when it loked as if City had sneaked into second with their win over Preston.
With Norwich at home to Coventry on Saturday you would expect them to win that game - not a formality, especially with the weight of pressure, but likely - so it would be a real boost for Cardiff if we can get that second place by the end of play on Monday. I have the feeling we are in a slightly better position by playing first tomorrow and at home. It's out of our hands just now but with a win over Middlesbrough City would move second and attention and pressure would be heaped upon Norwich to win at Portsmouth.
If Norwich win both their games and we finish in the play off places then you would have to hold your hands up and congratulate them on a superb run in. If they slip up though and draw one of the games we have to be right there with two victories of our own. It would be tragic to see Norwich drop points and Cardiff not be able to take advantage.
Monday May 2nd
Cardiff v Middlesbrough (5:15pm)
Portsmouth v Norwich (7:45pm)