Neil Warnock aiming to spring some more surprises

Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock: Celebrating victory against Brighton.

The Reds have won their last eight games in all competitions and relegation-threatened Cardiff have yet to pick up a point against top-six opposition in the Premier League this season.

Warnock has been frustrated by heavy home defeats to Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham and fears a similar outcome tomorrow with Liverpool in prime form and chasing a first domestic title since 1990.

Cardiff have also not beaten the Reds for nearly 60 years, a 4-0 win at Anfield in December, 1959, which was Bill Shankly’s first game as Liverpool manager.

“We realise the challenge, they’ve shown this season that they can beat anyone on a good day,” said Warnock.

“We just want to give a good performance and not get a battering really.

“We can work all week, but if we freeze and make a mistake early on we may as well go home.

“They will just pick you off. That’s what you get with quality players.

“When you realise our wage bill is £11m less than what they spent on agents’ fees, I think it puts it in perspective what we’re up against.”

Cardiff head into the weekend filling the final relegation spot and two points from safety.

But Tuesday’s 2-0 win at Brighton – the team directly above them – has given Cardiff hope that they can avoid the drop with four games left to play.

Brighton, who have a game in hand, are away to Wolves today and face Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham during a tricky run-in.

“The dressing room was elated,” said Warnock of the Brighton victory. “Not just at winning, but the way we won. We were always aware that if we lost the game that would be it. We’ve still got a massive job to do and you’d still want to be in Brighton’s shoes.

“You’ve just got to hope that (Wolves manager) Nuno (Espirito Santo) and his players aren’t on the beach. There are a lot of factors that come into it and we’re just glad that with four games to go we’re still surprising people. I like it when we surprise people.”

Warnock revealed that his Football Association hearing over remarks he made following the controversial 2-1 defeat to Chelsea last month will not be held until May.

The 70-year-old described Premier League officials as the “worst in the world” after that game and has pleaded not guilty to three FA charges.