This is where the fun begins. Having had a full week without a game, Bristol City kick-off a run of three matches in six days with the visit of Swansea City on Sunday lunchtime.
Liam Manning’s Reds are looking to extend a six-match unbeaten run at Ashton Gate in the Championship when Luke Williams’ side make the journey over the Severn Bridge, with the Robins’ last league defeat on home soil coming at the hands of Burnley in November.
The Swans have had a mixed season so far. After 30 games, they are closer to the relegation zone than they are the top six, lost their captain Matt Grimes to Coventry City and haven’t won any of their last seven matches. This just screams of a 1-0 away win, doesn’t it?
Manning will of course have to do without both Joe Williams and Ross McCrorie as they serve their suspensions having been sent off against Oxford United. Cam Pring will also miss out as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury but other than that, the Reds have almost a clean bill of health.
After Sunday’s clash, Stoke City are in town on Wednesday and there is a lunchtime trip to Cardiff City on the agenda next Saturday. The Robins will have to be careful not to run their players into the ground in what could be a crucial week in the race for the play-offs.
With that in mind, here’s how we think City will start against Swansea City on Sunday…
Goalkeeper and defence
Stefan Bajic had a rare outing for Bristol City’s Under-21s on Monday evening against Exeter City. Although the Frenchman pulled off some impressive saves, it would be a major surprise if that display got him the nod ahead of Max O’Leary, who is yet to miss a league game this season.
Ahead of the Reds’ stopper, we expect Liam Manning to stand by the back three that he has tended to use throughout the campaign so far. Rob Dickie will almost certainly start with Luke McNally to his left and Zak Vyner to his right.
After Kal Naismith completed a loan move to Luton Town in the January transfer window, the only real alternative would be starting one of George Tanner or Haydon Roberts out of position as a centre-back. While the head coach has been keen to suggest both players are capable of thriving in that role, he is unlikely to disrupt his preferred trio for the sake of it.
The hope will be that in the coming weeks, Josh Campbell-Slowey will be able to return to full fitness, as he continues to recover from the injury that has seen him ruled out in recent weeks, to offer some natural defensive cover on the bench in the final third of the season.
Midfield
On paper, Joe Williams and Ross McCrorie’s suspensions have eased Liam Manning’s headache slightly when it comes to picking his wingbacks and midfield to start against the Swans. Of course, football isn’t played on paper though, so there is every chance the Bristol City boss could surprise us all.
Our bet is that Mark Sykes will keep his place at right-wing back. The Ireland international has been superb since returning from injury in January, providing a real attacking presence that cannot be undervalued on that side of the pitch. His finish against Oxford last weekend was superb and that alone should ensure he remains in the starting line-up.
On the left, it seems as though it will be a toss-up between Haydon Roberts and Elijah Morrison with Cam Pring sidelined and McCrorie suspended. We think it will be Roberts who starts as Manning has been careful when it comes to managing Morrison’s first-team minutes so far this term.
Between the two wing-backs, it would be a surprise if it wasn’t Max Bird who partners Jason Knight. The City skipper has started every Championship game so far this season and in doing so, has formed a brilliant partnership with his former Derby County teammate.
Particularly at Ashton Gate this season, Bird and Knight have controlled matches, in and out of possession, for the Robins. Marcus McGuane will therefore be named on the bench to provide a more defensive presence if required.
Attack and striker
With three matches in such quick succession, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Liam Manning mix things up over the coming games at the top end of the pitch. However, the Bristol City boss did insist that he would name a side just to win Sunday’s game rather than looking too far ahead.
Because of that, our bet is that Scott Twine and Anis Mehmeti will start in attacking midfield, with George Earthy dropping to the bench to make way for the Albanian international.
Twine has been almost an ever-present since returning to full fitness over the festive period and his record at Ashton Gate in recent months has been incredible. He has scored or assisted in four of his last five appearances in BS3 and having been withdrawn at half-time against Oxford United last time out, he should be fresh and ready to extend his recent run.
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While Mehmeti has not quite managed to maintain his early-season form since the turn of the year, he is probably still the most well-suited to start alongside Twine in attacking midfield. The 24-year-old is still City’s top scorer this season and although he has failed to find the net in any of the Robins’ last six games, he is the sort of player who can turn a game on its head in a single action.
Manning could instead decide to keep Earthy in the starting line-up as there was a lot to like about his display at The Kassam Stadium, but it is still unclear whether or not the West Ham loanee and Twine can impact games from the off alongside one another.
Up front, our bet is that it will be Nahki Wells who leads the line, with Sinclair Armstrong offering an alternative option from the bench. This is a genuine toss-up as history suggests whichever forward starts against Swansea will drop to the bench against Stoke City on Wednesday.
Ultimately, we expect Wells to start on Sunday, with Armstrong then likely to get the nod against the Potters and who knows what will happen against Cardiff a matter of days later? Maybe Harry Cornick will get a surprise run out.
Bristol City XI (3-4-2-1): Max O’Leary; Luke McNally, Rob Dickie, Zak Vyner; Haydon Roberts, Max Bird, Jason Knight, Mark Sykes; Anis Mehmeti, Scott Twine; Nahki Wells