The Bluebirds are set to face Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
City have picked up four points in the last two fixtures, having beaten Watford prior to battling to earn a point against Coventry City last time out.
Ahead of taking on Boro, boss Omer Riza said: "Firstly, Michael Carrick has done a great job there with his staff. They've got a great team and they're a very well-structured side.
"They've got good attacking threat and it will be a very tough game. We expect that, as we expect every game to be tough in the Championship.
"We're working hard, we're fighting and our intensity levels are in a good place. We're creating chances and we'll be looking to do the same against Middlesbrough."
Saturday's opponents' manager, Michael Carrick, is a former teammate of Omer's, having both spent time at West Ham United.
Omer continued: "When I was at West Ham, Michael was a year or two younger than me. I was there when he got his debut at Newcastle and what an illustrious career he's had.
"He was a great player, a brilliant character with an exceptional attitude. If you looked at him then, you would say that he would be someone that would end up in the game as a coach or manager. He's proven that and he's doing well.
"It's always nice to see these people that you've played with in the past and catch up with them."
The Bluebirds will be looking to build on a hard-earned point against the Sky Blues last time out, in which Alex Robertson got on the scoresheet, before City produced a dogged second half showing with ten men.
"I think the boys have got in their heads now that the intensity is a must in every game that we play," Omer added. "I think it has been there in a lot of the games, but there have been a few where we have let ourselves down in that respect.
"We're in a good place at the moment and hopefully that continues. We've got the balance right and we're creating opportunities, which is important, and we have elements of quality when we've got the ball. We'll be taking that into the game this weekend, we think we can hurt them and we'll look to do that.
"It's a gruelling schedule, we know that, but we're looking for more of the same. Everybody's in the same situation and sometimes, your head rules your heart and you manage to push yourself through with that mental side of it.
"We've done that at Watford, we should have had it against Coventry, but this is the last game in this block, then we have another block of games coming up after that.
"Everybody will get their opportunity, the proof is there with the players that are playing at the moment. We'll keep striving forward and look to pick up as many points as we can."