Erol Bulut hailed the impact of Liverpool loanee Nat Phillips after Cardiff completed a Severnside derby double over Bristol City.

Perry Ng’s second-half header gave Cardiff a 1-0 success at Ashton Gate and back-to-back wins for the first time since October.

The Robins’ best moments were snuffed out by centre-back Phillips, who has proved a key player since arriving from Anfield in January.

“Nat is a big add to us, he gives confidence in the defence and organises the defence,” said Cardiff manager Bulut after his side had leapfrogged their opponents in the Championship standings.

“Other players next to him are acting on it and that’s important.

“He has played for Liverpool and Celtic, big teams, and he knows when you get pressure how to stay calm.

“He gives this to the other players too and with (goalkeeper) Ethan (Horvath) there now we can also play better from the back.”

Cardiff’s 66th-minute winner was their 17th goal from a set-piece this season – a Championship high.

Ng rose highest from a David Turnbull corner for his sixth goal of the season and second against Bristol City after scoring in Cardiff’s 2-0 home win over the Robins in October.

Bulut said: “I think the game was 50-50 over the 90 minutes, but congratulations to my players because they worked really hard and the luck was on our side.

“We are one of the best teams in the league from set-pieces.

“We always work on it and, if you analyse my previous clubs, it’s something we did there too.

“We kept our concentration and closing down the spaces, so I am happy.

“We are getting a little confidence back, which is good, and we have to stay together.”

Bristol City have now lost three in a row since winning at Middlesbrough and beating promotion-chasing Southampton at home.

A chorus of boos from home fans greeted the final whistle and boss Liam Manning said he would “take it on the chin”.

Manning said: “I’ve got thick skin. Of course I don’t want to hear it.

“I want the team to perform and succeed, I’ve had to fight and scrap in my career to get where I am.

“I’ll take it on the chin, be calm and get ready to go again on Tuesday.”

Asked what the Robins were short on in defeat, Manning replied: “Quality in the final third.

“We need people to step up and take responsibility in high-pressure moments and deliver.

“On the goal, set-pieces are probably Cardiff’s biggest threat – and most of their goals come from first contacts as well – and it’s hugely annoying.

“I didn’t think there was a huge amount of quality from both sides, so you’ve got to make sure you don’t lose and it finishes 0-0.”

Cardiff completed a Severnside derby double over Bristol City by winning 1-0 at Ashton Gate.

Perry Ng’s 66th-minute header gave Cardiff back-to-back victories after going four without a win and took them above Bristol City in the Championship table.

Both teams kicked off knowing they were in need of a strong late-season flourish to force their way into the play-off picture.

There was little to choose between them over 90 minutes when clear-cut openings were rare.

But Cardiff lived up to the title of Championship set-piece kings by scoring a league-leading 17th goal from such a situation this season.

Bristol City had some good moments but they were often repelled by the head of Nat Phillips as the Liverpool central defender showed what an outstanding acquisition he has been since arriving on loan in January.

Cardiff’s 2-0 derby home win in October had signalled the end of Nigel Pearson’s Ashton Gate tenure and the eventual arrival of Liam Manning in the Robins’ hot seat.

On that occasion Rubin Colwill had lit up the Welsh capital with a stunning strike, but the Wales forward was kept on a tight leash this time.

A sedate opening sparked into life with the hosts having three penalty appeals rejected by referee Sam Allison.

Nahki Wells tumbled in the box after 11 minutes and handball claims after shots from Andy King and Taylor Gardner-Hickman were blocked in the same attack were waved away.

Mark Sykes tested Ethan Horvath for the first time after 20 minutes, with the ball striking the Cardiff goalkeeper squarely in the chest before the Bluebirds cleared.

Cardiff’s tactic appeared one of containment and counter and David Turnbull sent a tame effort wide after slick approach play from Josh Bowler.

Ng let fly from 25 yards to warm the hands of Robins’ goalkeeper Max O’Leary, with the Cardiff full-back soon in more familiar territory to snuff out Sykes.

Bowler was off-target after combining well with Turnbull, and the latter’s free-kick at the start of the second period provided comfortable catching practice for O’Leary.

Yakou Meite replaced the injured Kion Etete in the Cardiff attack and Ryan Wintle took over the captaincy from Joe Ralls.

The changes had a positive effect as Ollie Tanner, another substitute, won a corner and Ng rose highest for his sixth goal of the season and second against Bristol City.

Horvath protected Cardiff’s victory by producing a superb reflex stop to deny Rob Dickie with Tommy Conway’s follow-up effort ruled out for offside.

Norwich reeled off their fourth straight home win as they cruised past Cardiff 4-1 to maintain their Championship play-off push.

The Canaries recovered from the shock of going behind completely against the run of play to record a dominant victory which followed hard on the heels of a 4-2 triumph over Watford in midweek.

Jamilu Collins fired Cardiff ahead after 19 minutes but the hosts were in front by half-time thanks to two goals in five minutes from Josh Sargent and Gabriel Sara.

Sargent went on to add his 10th of the season after the break, with a fourth from substitute Christian Fassnacht completing a comfortable win against a Cardiff side who have now lost three on the trot to drop away from the play-off battle.

Norwich completely dominated the first half but needed a late double to go in ahead at the break after conceding a sloppy opener.

A goal-line clearance from Nat Phillips to deny Sargent set the tone early on, with the Cardiff goal under almost constant siege as the Canaries turned on the style.

Ethan Horvath made a fine reaction stop to deny Borja Sainz, Ashley Barnes headed over from close range and Sara hit the upright from distance but it was the visitors who opened the scoring.

Rubin Colwill did well to work his way into the area on the right before drilling in a cross that Angus Gunn was unable to gather and Collins was well placed to bundle the ball in at the past post, with Grant Hanley’s attempted block merely diverting the ball into the net.

The one-sided nature of proceedings soon resumed, however, and Norwich were deservedly back on level terms in the 39th minute when Horvath could only palm away Sam McCallum’s rising drive from a tight angle and Sargent was on hand to tuck the loose ball away.

Barnes netted again almost immediately, only to be thwarted by an offside flag.

But the home fans didn’t have to wait long for a second Norwich goal.

On the stroke of half-time, Sara won a free-kick some five yards outside the box and completed the job by curling a delightful effort into the far corner, via a slight deflection off the Cardiff wall.

Norwich gave themselves some breathing space by making it 3-1 nine minutes into the second period.

Sargent got on the end of a Jack Stacey cross from the right only to be foiled by the upright but the American striker acrobatically got to the rebound to reach double figures in an injury-hit season.

Sargent missed a chance for a hat-trick on the hour mark when he shot straight at Horvath when well placed while at the other end Cardiff barely posed a threat.

It was merely a question as to whether Norwich could add to their tally and they duly did so in the 77th minute as two of their substitutes combined.

Sydney van Hooijdonk, who had come on for Sargent, did well to spot the overlapping Fassnacht in the box and the Swiss drilled home for his sixth goal of the campaign.

Celtic’s injury problems in central defence are easing as Nat Phillips and Cameron Carter-Vickers step up their comebacks.

Phillips has missed two games after rolling his ankle on his debut against Dundee but the on-loan Liverpool defender could return in Saturday’s cinch Premiership meeting with Motherwell at Fir Park.

The centre-back’s return is a welcome boost for manager Brendan Rodgers as Gustaf Lagerbielke’s European suspension would otherwise leave Liam Scales as the only fit central defender for next Wednesday’s Champions League visit of Lazio.

Rodgers said: “Nat Phillips we are keeping an eye on, he has rejoined the group but we just have to make sure with his ankle. But that looks much better. Hopefully (he will be back) for the weekend.

“No-one else who has been out injured will be back.”

Carter-Vickers is also stepping up his return from a hamstring injury while fellow centre-backs Stephen Welsh and Maik Nawrocki are further behind.

“Cam is coming back in to rejoin the training group but he is not going to be ready until after the international break, I would suspect,” Rodgers said.

The Celtic manager will make a decision over who replaces the suspended Joe Hart at Fir Park.

Scott Bain came off the bench and kept a clean sheet after Hart was sent off in the first half of Celtic’s 3-0 win at Livingston on Saturday but Benjamin Siegrist is another option.

Rodgers said: “We will look at it between Scott and Benji. Both of the guys work really hard every day so we will finalise the team on Friday.”