80% defensive duels won: The Cardiff City man who impressed in 1-0 win v Derby County

Cardiff City earned a valuable 1-0 win over Derby County on Tuesday evening which seemed to play a role in manager Steve Morison receiving a contract extension until the end of the next season.

The gap between the Bluebirds and the relegation zone now stands at 16 points and one moment of quality in a very evenly matched encounter proved to be the difference.

Perry Ng has moved inside from right wing back to the right of a back three in the last month or so and is growing into the role in the Welsh capital.

The January 2021 signing from Crewe Alexandra has endured an up and down first full season at the club, but has looked more assured and offers a creative threat in the back three that the Bluebirds do not have otherwise.

In the dying embers, Malcolm Ebiowei stretched to keep the ball in play and inadvertently clipped it straight into Ng’s path.

The 25-year-old took one calm touch to steady himself, look up and assess his surroundings, before whipping in a pinpoint cross for Uche Ikpeazu to scramble home with a first time volley.

It was Ng’s only crossing opportunity of the game, but he did not need any time to get his eye in and in the end his accuracy directly led to the three points staying in South Wales.

Ng excelled in both sides of the game, keeping Derby at bay by winning 80% of his defensive duels, making eight interceptions, as per Wyscout, and achieving the highest WhoScored rating of any player on the pitch, 8.3.

Even with Morison signing a new, fairly short term, contract, there is still a lot of uncertainty around the playing squad at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Ng is one 12 players with a deal running beyond the end of this season and his role within the squad is only set to increase in its significance,