Gemma Grainger has insisted Wales can still stay in the top tier of the Nations League despite suffering her biggest defeat as manager in front of her own fans. The Wales boss was left looking for crumbs of comfort after her team were demolished, 5-1, by a slick Denmark side at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Gemma Grainger insists she will send her Wales team out against Denmark on Tuesday night, convinced they can score the goals for success in the Women’s Nations League. Wales lost 1-0 in their opening fixture of the tournament away in Iceland last week, a failure in front of goal that has become a recurring theme against higher-ranked opposition.

Erol Bulut believes his Cardiff City players are reaping the rewards for their hard work after they climbed to the fringes of the Championship play-off spots. The Bluebirds snatched a 1-0 win at Sunderland to make it three successive victories for manager Bulut after maximum points were taken off Swansea City and Coventry City.

Erol Bulut insists his Cardiff City “machine” can keep pumping out the results whether or not Aaron Ramsey is fit to play at Sunderland on Sunday. The Bluebirds have won back-to-back victories for the first time since February and aim to make it three wins on the bounce when they head to the North-East.

Michael Duff has suggested he may have only three games left to save his job after Swansea City completed their worst start to a season for 32 years. The Swans head coach is still searching for his first league win as manager seven matches into the season after his team were held to a 1-1 draw at Queens Park Rangers.

Erol Bulut insists Cardiff City have proved they can cope when they are without Aaron Ramsey. The Bluebirds manager watched his team overcome Coventry City, 3-2, at home on Tuesday night, despite being without their talismanic captain.

Erol Bulut has revealed he had heard a lot about Ollie Tanner – and most of it was bad. A good job, then, that the Cardiff City manager decided his own eyes could provide the best evidence when sizing up the club’s 21-year-old winger.

Erol Bulut will continue to throw a Tanner in the works of opposition defences after 21-year-old Ollie broke Swansea City’s previously smooth-running derby day dominance. Bluebirds manager Bulut has used Tanner sparingly since the Turkish boss arrived in the capital this summer. He even revealed after Cardiff’s 2-0 victory on Saturday night that he and the winger have a running joke that the player is better as a substitute than when he starts.

Swansea City would like to issue a correction. When their head coach, Michael Duff, said he would rather gain promotion than win their derbies against Cardiff City, he didn’t really mean it.

Gemma Grainger has named uncapped duo Lauren Thomas and Mary McAteer in the Wales squad for the opening matches of the UEFA Women’s Nations League. Wrexham born Thomas of Blackburn Rovers has received her first senior team call-up for the games away to Iceland (Friday 22 September) and home to Denmark (Tuesday 26 September).

Joe Allen has told his Swansea City teammates they have to improve if they are to have any hope of keeping their arm lock on rivals Cardiff City this weekend. The former Wales midfielder will be part of a Swans team looking for a fifth successive derby victory over the Bluebirds when they visit the capital on Saturday night.

Connor Roberts insists it is naive to expect Wales to qualify for every major tournament. Wales have reached the last two European Championships and the 2022 World Cup after ending a 58-year wait to play at a major tournament. But making Euro 2024 in Germany next summer was seriously dented by qualifying defeats to Armenia and Turkey in June.