Robins hope to have Atkinson back before Christmas

Bristol City hope to have centre-back Rob Atkinson back before Christmas but his hamstring injury is "not good", said head coach Gerhard Struber.

Atkinson went off just after half-time in the 5-1 defeat by Stoke on Saturday, having started all 13 of the Robins' Championship matches to that point.

"We know that Rob will be out for the next weeks; we are in exchange with the specialists at the moment, but it looks not good, this is the reality," Struber told BBC Radio Bristol after Tuesday's 1-0 home defeat by Blackburn.

"We hope he is back before Christmas but right now we have to be very patient with his injury on his hamstring."