Having enjoyed a much-needed week off following their win over Derby County last Saturday, Bristol City will return to action this weekend when they welcome Wolves to Ashton Gate.
The Premier League side make the trip to the West Country on Saturday lunchtime to face Liam Manning’s Reds in the third round of the FA Cup in what is both team’s first match in this year’s edition of the tournament.
Vitor Pereira’s side currently sit 17th in the table, level on points with newly promoted Ipswich Town who occupy the final relegation place in the Premier League and have only won two league games away from Molineux all season.
The Black Country side come into this weekend’s showdown off of the back of a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Monday night, with goals from Morgan Gibbs-White, Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi securing all three points for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
City haven’t faced Wolves since the 2018/19 season when Ivan Cavaleiro’s goal booked the away side’s place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup at Ashton Gate. The two teams haven’t met in the league since Wolves ran out 2-1 winners in the West Country as they won the Championship title and the Robins fell out of the race for the play-off places.
Although Pereira’s side have struggled in the Premier League this term, they come into this one as favourites and will be hoping a good result in the cup can breathe new life into their season.
Ahead of Saturday’s game, Bristol Live spoke to the Express and Star’s Liam Keen to get the latest insight from Molineux…
How would you evaluate Wolves’ season so far?
The first half of the season, for the most part, was a disaster. Wolves left themselves short in the transfer window and after a remarkably difficult fixture list, their confidence dropped quickly and Gary O’Neil was struggling to lift them. Discipline has been a concern, while Matheus Cunha has almost singlehandedly dragged them out of trouble in some games.
The change in manager has helped, and the January transfer window will be crucial, but Wolves still have plenty of work to do to survive relegation this season. They are in a better place now than they were, however.
What have the fans made of Vitor Pereira so far?
Fans were desperate for a change and Pereira made a fantastic start with two wins and a draw in his opening three games. Despite the loss to Nottingham Forest on Monday night, fans are still pleased with what Pereira is doing and there is renewed hope that the club will get out of trouble this season.
Do you expect Wolves to name a strong side at Ashton Gate?
It is tough to predict. The priority, without any doubt, is surviving in the Premier League, but winning games that can only help breed confidence and Pereira will want to beat Bristol City. On top of that, Wolves do not have a huge squad and with the game being on a weekend, he could name a strong team. However, Wolves do travel to face Newcastle next Wednesday, so he will want to rest some players with that in mind. As a result, I expect a mixed side with some players being handed an opportunity but enough quality to have a good chance of winning the game.
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Who are the key players for Bristol City fans to look out for?
Depending on who plays, Wolves do carry a threat in attack even without the suspended Cunha. Jorgen Strand Larsen has seven Premier League goals this season and is a handful, while Goncalo Guedes is in better form under Pereira. Rayan Ait-Nouri is one of the stars of this team when he is playing well, but he may be rested, while Rodrigo Gomes is an exciting young talent who could start the game.
Could former Robin Dan Bentley be handed a rare start?
It is unlikely. Jose Sa has been number one under Pereira, with Sam Johnstone as the backup. The head coach may play a strong side and keep Sa between the sticks, but it is probably likely that Johnstone will get some minutes. Bentley could take his place on the bench, however, should Pereira ring the changes.