Neil Warnock confident that Cardiff can avoid relegation without changing their approach

Cardiff remain outside the drop zone but there is no doubting they need to play better than against Watford

Neil Warnock's side currently sit 16th (Getty)

Neil Warnock sides have long had a reputation for the hard, aggressive manner in which they play but the Cardiff City manager has bizarrely suggested that referees now have a dream job overseeing his men.

The South Wales club have picked up only five yellow cards in four matches, and did not collect one in this loss to Watford, and are sixth in the Premier League fair play table.

Statistics suggest they also conceded just five fouls at Vicarage Road in a subdued performance where they somehow only lost by one goal after two late efforts from Junior Hoilett and Bobby Reid.

Cardiff remain outside the relegation zone but there is no doubting they need to play better than this, not that Warnock wants them to harden up.

“I don’t think we need to get nastier,” he said. “But we ought to look at the Premier League. We don’t surround the referee, we don’t have a go. Other teams three or four men are on him straight away.

“We’re a little bit amateurish in that respect. We are a referee’s dream and you wouldn’t say that about one of my teams would you? You think my team will be physical and everything but we’re the opposite, we’re a referee’s dream at the minute. I’m not saying we should surround the referee. I’m saying you’d see other teams do it.”

Warnock’s remarks come after a peculiar post-match rant where he described impressive referee Andrew Madley as a “trainee” due to the fact he was taking charge of a Premier League game this season, and was amazed a tackle by Troy Deeney on Neil Etheridge did not result in a booking.

Etheridge’s performance in goal for Cardiff ensured that his side returned to South Wales with some kind of respectability.

“We've performed extremely well this season, especially at home, we've exceeded the expectations of the majority of the media experts, we've shown our fighting spirit and I don't believe we get the credit we deserve,” he said. “I don't think being nastier will help us put points on the board – for us, this is the way to go.”

Etheridge made several fine stops but could not keep out stunning efforts from Gerard Deulofeu, Jose Holebas and Domingos Quina with the latter becoming Watford’s youngest ever Premier League goalscorer.

The 19-year-old joined from West Ham United in August, only two minutes before the deadline, and now hopes he has done enough to keep his place for a return to his old club ahead of Etienne Capoue who is free from suspension.

Certainly Quina looks like he could be a real find for Javi Gracia although the Portuguese midfielder seemed somewhat shy talking to the media afterwards.

Domingos Quina celebrates after scoring Watford's third (Getty)

“I have always wanted to be playing first-team football and the manager and Watford are giving me the chance to do that,” he said. “I regard myself in a high place. People can think I'm not good enough to play in the Premier League but I think am good enough. Game by game, gaining minutes, I can show that.

“When I joined, I think it was very close. I couldn't tell you how many minutes. I don't worry about off-field things. My main feeling was that I did not want to leave England so I wanted to go for it.”

“I didn’t know much about Domingos before he came to the club,” admitted Gracia. “Now I see him every day in training and it’s enough for me to see his level and his desire and ambition. He’s ready. I don’t care if he’s big or small.”