Crocked Cardiff winger one more reason for rock-bottom finish

A pretty grim-looking situation for Cardiff just became that much gloomier with the news that one of their best performers of the season will miss the final five Premier League games.

Craig Noone may have a surname which on face value reads like he is of little significance, but in a team of strugglers, he’s far from being a ‘no one’.

The Bluebirds winger has consistently taken the fight to the opposition with his mazy runs and is a rarity in the ranks that actually looks at home in the top flight.

Although he’s been affected by a string of niggling injuries this season, the timing of Noone’s latest one couldn’t have been worse – with five ‘cup finals’ standing between them and potential Premier League oblivion.

However, said top-flight Armageddon had already taken on a look of certainty even before the loss of their scouse wing wizard – as denoted by their 1/16 favouritism for relegation.

The most demoralising of 3-0 home losses to Crystal Palace – one of only a handful of teams they had any hope of leapfrogging to safety – served as confirmation to most observers that Cardiff’s Premier League goose is cooked.

Now only sorry Sunderland lie beneath Ole Gunnar-Solskjaer’s dejected bunch and punters still intent on profiting on their misfortune should seriously consider the 3/4 about them finishing bottom.

As well as tricky home games against Stoke and potential title-winners Chelsea, the Welsh club travel to St Mary’s next, where the Saints have dispatched six of nine bottom-half teams this season, losing only once.

But the deciding factor should come when they travel to the Stadium of Light which will give the Black Cats a gilt-edge chance to overtake them.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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