Cardiff are 21st in the table – just one point clear of the bottom three – after losing 2-1 at home to second-from-bottom Luton Town on Tuesday.

The Bluebirds were booed off the pitch after the final whistle following a third successive league defeat, leaving them with just four wins from 24 matches.

“Now this is a fight. Now we are going to see the boys who are going to step up and fight for this club. It’s fight or flight. We are in a real tough spot at the moment,” said Riza.

“Players are not taking responsibility and we are in trouble. If we are going to keep doing that we will be in big trouble. We’ve got nine games left and we need to stop doing this stuff. Otherwise we’re not going to win games.”

Riza has been in charge of Cardiff since last September, initially replacing his predecessor Erol Bulut on a temporary basis before being appointed until the end of this season.

Riza enjoyed an excellent start to his tenure, winning four of his first seven games – but the former Watford coach has only picked up the same amount of victories from the following 24 matches.

He brushed off the boos at the final whistle on Tuesday, saying it was his job to take such criticism, but Riza also warned his players he would be making changes.

“Whether we have got players who have the nitty gritty to be brave and to win battles against people, well, the jury’s out on that because we have faltered at times when we have needed it,” Riza added.

“The boys have got to dig deep to help get us out of this situation because we will have to pick the squad accordingly to get us out of that now.

“We will go back in on Thursday and reassess the squad. I will be making the changes necessary to get a result. Will it be ugly? It looks like it. I want boys on the pitch who are going to fight.”