91Èȱ¬

Cardiff manager Malky Mackay admitted the south Wales derby win over Swansea was especially sweet after the recent upheaval at the club.

Steven Caulker headed the hosts to a 1-0 win at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Speculation continues to surround Mackay's future and his relationship with Cardiff owner Vincent Tan.

"I'm delighted for everyone at the club. It has been a tough three or four weeks for everyone associated with our club," Mackay said.

"I thought the performance from the whole team showed real maturity considering what they have had to endure. For us to come out with a performance like that puts smiles on everyone's faces."

The Scot's trusted head of recruitment Iain Moody was replaced by 23-year-old Kazakh Alisher Apsalyamov, who was previously on work experience at the club, in October, although he has stepped aside temporarily over a visa issue.

Mackay had not spoken to Tan when he met the media after the win in the first-ever Premier League meeting between the sides, but his name continues to be linked as a potential successor to Chris Hughton at the Scot's former club Norwich City after the Canaries' difficult start to the season.

"The fact that we have put smiles on faces and that we have performed like that pleases me more than anything else. We have worked hard here for two and a half years with my team and players to get to a day like this," said Mackay.

"We definitely want to make sure we are here in this division next year."

And it was fitting that one of the signings brought in by Mackay's recruitment team, the £8m signing from Spurs Caulker, scored the goal that will mark this down as one of the most memorable days in Cardiff's recent history.

Mackay said: "We couldn't believe we actually got him and certainly not for the price we got him for. We knew it was a good signing for us, as we did with all our summer signings."

Asked whether the win lifted any pressure, Mackay insisted: "I don't have any on me.

"I have the pressure of winning in the Premier League every week and making sure we are in it next year. That's my focus, I have a steely determination about myself and my staff and I won't let anything else disrupt that."