City boss Nigel Pearson takes his squad to Cardiff tonight convinced they have what it takes to overcome that 1-0 first-leg deficit and reach the Championship play-off final.

The issue is delicately poised and Pearson said: "In the two games we have lost down there, we all feel they were games we could, and possibly should, have won but we know what we have got to do."

"It would have been nice to have gone in there with a different scenario but that is not to be and we have got to make sure we can turn this tie around."

"I thought we played some good stuff in the first leg but it is what it is."

"We have to turn round a one-nil deficit, we have got plenty of options and the players have shown a lot of resilience this season and we have worked exceptionally hard to get here so we owe it to ourselves to give it our best shot."

It is a big challenge and Pearson said: "On the face of it, yes, it was disappointing to lose the first game but there is plenty football left and I am sure they think the same thing."

"It would have been great for us to have gone into the second leg giving our fans more optimism."

"All we would say is that they have seen the players are totally committed to win games and we go into the second leg with a lot of confidence and a lot of optimism."