Warnock blasts ´elementary´ Cardiff mistakes

Neil Warnock called for Cardiff City to cut out “elementary” mistakes after a 5-0 home defeat against Manchester City extended their miserable start to the Premier League season.

Cardiff held their own for half an hour on a rain-soaked pitch, before goals from Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan put the visitors 3-0 up at half-time.

The Bluebirds boss was pleased by their start to the second half, but a brace from substitute Riyad Mahrez – the second of which was gifted to him by Cardiff defender Bruno Ecuele Manga – left Warnock frustrated.

“We’ve got to eliminate mistakes if we’re to have any chance whatsoever,” said Warnock, after his team made it six Premier League games without a win.

“I think we did well in the first half hour. I thought our shape was good and then they scored from our corner kick, and that’s how good these teams are.

FULL TIME: #CardiffCity 0-5 @ManCity

The #Bluebirds suffer a heavy defeat to the @premierleague holders at CCS. #CARMCI #CityAsOne pic.twitter.com/yrscVK3QMM

— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) September 22, 2018

“We lost our discipline a little bit and we found ourselves 3-0 down from nothing.

“I thought second half, despite the injury, we did alright. Then, just another mistake at the death made it worse than what it should’ve been.

“You’ve just got to think how well Bruno Ecuele Manga played, and then he goes and makes a mistake like that for the fifth goal, which is just elementary.”

The defeat followed a 4-1 reverse against Chelsea and a 3-2 loss at home against Arsenal, and Warnock suggested his players could be finding it tough to adapt to life in the top flight.

He said: “We have a good group. Not many of them have played at this level before, and I think when we went behind it showed a little bit.

“We have made mistakes but we’re all in it together. All I ask is that they do their best.”