3. Comebacks & Confidence
The Manchester clubs have won the last three Premier League titles between them. Mackay's Bluebirds have showed no deference to the established order when City and United visited the Welsh capital, however. Manchester's big two have taken just a single point back to the Northwest with them from trips to Cardiff. Mackay and his charges came from behind first to
stun City with a memorable 3-2 win in their first Premier League home game and then held United to a 2-2 draw. Cracking cup tie atmospheres with a partisan crowd firmly behind the Bluebirds can make their own patch a difficult place to come. Mackay needs to adopt a similar tempo in all home games. If Cardiff can pull off shock results like those above, then they can easily beat teams around them. It's not the same story when they lose the lead though. The Bluebirds have managed to win just one game after getting in front and then have been pegged back. Confidence looks to be fragile, but all leads are precarious unless you can boast a substantial goal cushion. Unfortunately, Cardiff seldom can. Returning to a point made earlier in our countdown, they have only scored two goals or better on four occasions. Take out raising their game against United and City, and that League Cup with Accrington a team three tiers below them and the Bluebirds have managed it just once in a winnable game with Fulham.