Neil Warnock urged Huddersfield not to let their rescue mission slip after victory at Cardiff took the Terriers to the brink of Sky Bet Championship survival.
Huddersfield won 2-1 at Cardiff through Joseph Hungbo’s super strike and a Jack Simpson own goal to leave themselves needing one point from their final two games to stay in the Championship.
When veteran Warnock took over in mid-February, Huddersfield were in 23rd place and just one point off the bottom of the table.
“We’ve come this far and it would be the icing on the cake (to survive). We can’t let it go now,” said the 74-year-old.
“The lads enjoy playing for us and the euphoria is there but, when you’re in relegation trouble, jobs are at stake. I do feel a bit of responsibility.”
Huddersfield finish their season with two home games against promoted Sheffield United and 22nd-placed Reading.
“I’ve always thought it would go down to Reading, it still might,” said Warnock, who admitted to being emotional after Cardiff fans clapped him at the final whistle in recognition of this three-year spell there between 2016 and 2019.
“Sheffield United are a good side, people said they might take the foot off the pedal now they’ve got promoted.
“Looks like, didn’t it? They really took their foot off the pedal on Saturday when they won 4-1.
“But it just shows what you can do. I think the lads have probably surprised themselves, we’ve got better players than what they were achieving.
“Sometimes you do under-achieve and they just need an arm around them. I’m glad I’ve come in and done my bit because we needed an old head.
“I think if I’d been there for three months we’d have had a good chance of the play-offs, as it’s such an open league apart from Burnley.”
Cardiff’s own relegation fears were over after Reading had failed to beat Wigan on Saturday.
And Sabri Lamouchi’s Bluebirds were thoroughly outplayed in the second half, scarcely deserving Isaak Davies’ late back-heeled consolation.
“It’s a massive club and they deserve to stay in the Championship,” said Lamouchi, who was appointed Cardiff’s third manager of the season in January and whose position remains unclear.
“I’m proud about that. It is job done, massive achievement.
“I am happy to work with this squad, but it (the future) is not about what I want to do. It’s about what the club want to do. It’s very simple.”
Fiorentina 2-2 Napoli: Kvaratskhelia keeps visitors' slim European hopes alive
Dethroned Italian champions Napoli's hopes of playing European football next season are hanging by a thread after they played out a 2-2 draw at Fiorentina in Serie A on Friday.
Napoli took the lead in the eighth minute through defender Amir Rrahmani, who nodded home a corner by Matteo Politano.
Cristiano Biraghi levelled for Fiorentina in the 40th minute from a free-kick, before M'Bala Nzola put the hosts in front two minutes later when he fired a shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Napoli's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia responded with another stunning free-kick early in the second half to rescue a point for his team.
Eighth-placed Fiorentina, on 54 points and with a game in hand, are five points behind Lazio in seventh.
They can still earn a Europa League spot either by leapfrogging the Rome side or by winning the Europa Conference League final in which they face Greece's Olympiakos on May 29.
Ninth-placed Napoli, on 52 points, still have a slim chance of making the Europa Conference League playoffs.
Data Debrief
Fiorentina left-back Biraghi has now scored six goals from direct free-kicks since the start of 2021-22, which is behind only James Ward-Prowse (seven) - now of West Ham and formerly of Southampton - as the most across Europe's top five leagues in that period.
Kvaratskhelia also levelled via a direct free-kick, making this the first Serie A match in which both teams scored via that route since Fiorentina against Lazio in April 2018 (Jordan Veretout and Luis Alberto in that case).
Southampton 3-1 West Brom (3-1 agg): Saints set up play-off final with Leeds United
Southampton saw off West Brom 3-1 at St Mary's on Friday to set up a Championship play-off final showdown with Leeds United.
Leeds thumped Norwich City 4-0 at Elland Road 24 hours earlier to book their place at Wembley, where Southampton now await on May 26.
The first leg between the Saints and West Brom finished goalless - just like the other semi-final - but the home side's quality told in the end.
Russell Martin's side dominated the first-half possession, with David Brooks going closest to scoring with a shot that hit the outside of the post.
Southampton made the breakthrough via a powerful Will Smallbone finish four minutes into the second half after Gray Diangana lost possession.
Darnell Furlong had a shot helped over by Alex McCarthy, while David Brooks - who assisted the opener - had a strong penalty appeal rejected.
Southampton remained in control, though, and Adam Armstrong scored a second with a shot through Furlong's legs and past Alex Palmer.
Armstrong's second goal arrived from the penalty spot in the 86th minute after Tom Fellows fouled Ryan Manning in the box, rendering Cedric Kipre's late header a mere consolation.
Marc Skinner signs Manchester United Women contract extension
Marc Skinner has signed a one-year contract extension as Manchester United Women head coach with the option of a further 12 months.
The 41-year-old guided United to their first major silverware last weekend with victory over Tottenham in the Women's FA Cup final.
United are fifth in the Women's Super League with one game to go - a massive drop on last term's runners-up finish - but Skinner will stay on.
"It's an honour to extend my stay at Manchester United," Skinner, who was appointed in 2021, told United's official website after the news was confirmed on Friday.
"I've always felt at home here, with our excellent players, staff, and fans.
"Being able to secure the team's first major trophy at Wembley was a real career highlight for me and another sign of our continued growth, on and off the field."
United conclude their campaign on Saturday against Chelsea, who lead Manchester City on goal difference entering the final day.
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