Oxford United 3-2 Cardiff City: Alarm bells blare out as dire run of results continues

Cardiff City stretched their run of games without a win to nine after a dreadful Boxing Day display against fellow relegation strugglers Oxford United saw them succumb to a 3-2 defeat.

Last weekend it was former Cardiff man Kieffer Moore who came back to haunt Cardiff City Stadium with a two-goal display. Today, it was Moore's former strike partner, Mark Harris, and former Bluebirds centre-back Ciaron Brown who dealt two crucial blows.

A Przemysław Płacheta stunner made the lead an unassailable one and consigned Cardiff to nine games without a win. There was a late surge from the visitors. Cian Ashford tucked away a neat chance late on while Callum Robinson struck with the last kick of the game to flatter the Bluebirds a little. Because this is an appalling run which sees the U's overtake them in the table, with the Bluebirds now sinking to 23rd in the league after 22 games.

Alarm bells should now be blaring out. There was talk recently about whether there are indeed three worse teams than Cardiff in this division. Indeed on the evidence of the last couple of months, that debate is very much in the balance. Now the pressure really is on Omer Riza.

The game sorely lacked in quality for the most part. It was two teams short of confidence and it showed, especially in key areas. The battle was largely contested in the middle of the pitch, with neither team particularly good enough to do anything meaningful within 25 yards of their opponents' goal.

Chances, therefore, were few and far between. In the first half, each team had one chance of any note - Cardiff hit the bar with theirs, while Oxford scored. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.

During a period of Cardiff pressure, Chris Willock offered up the