Neil Warnock wary of being "punished" by Sheffield United

Neil Warnock has warned his Cardiff City players to not get ahead of themselves as they prepare for their Championship clash with Sheffield United.

The Bluebirds head to Bramall Lane seeking a ninth successive league win, which would move them 10 points clear of third-placed Fulham with seven games left to play.

Despite the finishing line now being in sight for his side, however, Warnock is wary of being "punished" by former club United in Monday evening's clash.

"With eight games to go we've just got to hang in there and do our best," he told reporters when looking ahead to the match in South Yorkshire. "We're in a fantastic position, so I don't want the lads to think about pressure or anything. There's no easy games at this level, and if you're not sharp upstairs, you'll get punished.

"I look forward to all of the games, but I don't think you can look too far ahead. The next game is always the most difficult game, and you have to overcome that and then move onto the next one. We're getting stronger as a squad, which is very important between now and the end of the season, especially with two games in five days.

Cardiff have not lost any of their last five away meetings with Sheffield United, winning two and drawing three since December 2004.