McNally out for rest of season with ACL injury

Luke McNally has been a fixture of Bristol City's defensive line since signing from Burnley in August

Bristol City centre-back Luke McNally has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The 25-year-old went off in the 73rd minute of Sunday's 1-0 defeat by Swansea City.

McNally has played in 28 of the Robins' 31 Championship matches this season, scoring three goals, since joining from Burnley in August.

"He'd hit a really good level of performance consistently. I thought he had been excellent for us," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol ahead of their game against Stoke City.

"So when you lose someone of his - the level of contribution that he'd had, his performance, his character, his desire to defend, all the positives he'd shown to everybody here, naturally, it's disappointing."

Manning added McNally would be out for a "considerable amount of time".

"He's loved by group, loved by us, it's one that we'll support, get around and make sure that he comes back stronger," he said.

McNally's injury leaves only Zak Vyner and Rob Dickie as available specialist centre-backs for the Robins.

Rob Atkinson was loaned to Portsmouth in January as he returned from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, while Kal Naismith joined Luton Town on loan last month.