Cardiff are now 7/1 for promotion after they made it ten games unbeaten under Mick McCarthy with a 4-0 win over Derby.
Leandro Bacuna’s brace, a trademark Kieffer Moore header and a late Will Vaulks belter saw Cardiff end the Rams’ recent revival by making it 24 points from McCarthy's 10 games in charge.
The Bluebirds sat 15th in the Sky Bet Championship table on the back of six successive defeats when the ex-Republic of Ireland boss took over in January - ten points separated them and Bournemouth in 6th.
However, seven wins from ten games under his guidance has fired them into the promotion picture and they now occupy the final play-off spot with 12 games remaining of the campaign.
Sky Bet Championship - promotion odds
- Norwich - 1/25
- Brentford - 4/9
- Watford - 10/11
- Swansea - 6/4
- Bournemouth - 5/1
- Reading - 6/1
- Cardiff - 7/1
- Barnsley - 15/2
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The odds are now significantly shorter than the 50/1 available with Sky Bet at the beginning of February on Cardiff returning to the Premier League.
Speaking after the game, McCarthy said: “If you lose it’s all doom and gloom and sack the manager.
“Now we’re flying and we’re in the play-offs, we’re getting promoted. You won’t get me carried away with it. It’s a lovely time when you’re winning football matches, but you’ve got to win the next one.
“There’s no point getting carried away and having your head in the clouds.
“Everybody gives you a pat on the back but suddenly there’s a knife in their hand. I don’t get carried away by that stuff. There’s a lot of good teams in this league and we’ll just keep pecking away.”
Odds correct at 2215 GMT (02/03/21)
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