Bristol City

David Pottier
Fan writer

Well here we are with just four games to go sat in the play-off zone knowing that participation is in our own hands and not down to relying on the failings of others.

City's play off challenge has been built upon an impressive run of home results since Christmas - nine wins from 11.

Away form remains patchy and the opening 25 minutes against QPR proved to be a case in point.

The home side, with nothing to play for, swarmed all over City and maybe deserved more than a single goal to show for their efforts.

City drew level, very much against the run of play, with a goal crafted by Knight and Bird with the coolest of finishes from Earthy.

Having watched City for over 55 years I can honestly say this has not felt like previous promotion challenging campaigns.

We have got into a position which could bring top-flight football back to Bristol for the first time in 45 years by playing football very much in the modern style which is Liam Manning to a tee - structure, process, patience.

"Mothering the ball" was a phrase used by former manager Gary Johnson when describing the playing ethos during the last season (2007-08) we came this close to reaching the promised land.

We are where we are for a number of reasons. Firstly, take away the top four in the division and with just four games remaining there are five clubs battling for two play-off spots.

Sixth is likely to be secured with the lowest points total ever since three for a win was introduced.

Secondly, Manning has, over the past couple of months, seemed to allow the players to express themselves a little more. Finally, the players themselves are a tight knit group and no club in the Championship has fielded fewer in pursuit of success.

Gary Owers
Former Bristol City player and BBC Radio Bristol summariser

Image source, Rex Features

I'd be absolutely gutted if they didn't get into the play-offs from where they are. It's not that straightforward of course, but by getting a point at QPR they have actually improved their position.

It's setting themselves up nicely against Sunderland next week, who are in a really strange position. They are going to finish in the division where they are now, which is fourth, the manager's got a problem with what type of team does he pick - they've been beaten again by Swansea at home.

But it's all set up for City.

It wasn't the most fluid of performances. They had to be gritty at times, they were really up against it for the opening 25, 30 minutes and naturally when QPR went into the lead they had opportunities to increase that lead. City rode that storm out and then got themselves back in and had to dig in and in the end not much quality knocking about in the second half.

Cam Pring got into couple of good positions wide on the left but his last ball let him down a bit and Sam Bell headed a brilliant ball back across the six-yard box with no black shirt to tap it in.

A draw was probably a fair result but it was very, very hard earned and maybe at a cost. Mark Sykes has been injured in the warm-up and Max O'Leary picked something up in the warm-up but made it through unscathed it appears.

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City have to "assess" midfielder Mark Sykes after they lost him to a quad injury in the warm-up before their draw with QPR.

Sykes was named in the starting 11 by manager Liam Manning for the game at Loftus Road but pulled out before kick-off and was replaced by Yu Hirakawa.

"Mark felt his quad in the warm-up unfortunately." Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"It's probably an accumulation of such a heavy period for him. It's a blow because he's been terrific, we'll have to assess and see where he's at."

Goalkeeper Max O'Leary also hurt his ankle before the start of the match but made it through the 90 minutes.

"The edges of it where the grass goes to the astro [turf] there's a real rut, Max felt his ankle beforehand," Manning said.

Bristol City boss Liam Manning said his side's 1-1 draw with Queens Park Rangers had "a bit of everything".

"I thought we were a little bit sloppy the first 15 minutes and let them build quite a bit of momentum," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"We then got a bit of control and scored a fantastic goal, a moment of real high quality.

Manning added: "In the second half I thought we had a decent amount of control but probably didn't ask enough questions with it, but it's been a full-on week so to come here, take the points and stay unbeaten in three I think is quite important.

"We've given ourselves something to play for going into the final four [matches], and credit to the lads because they've done that.

"It's the end of the season, there's going to be lots of twists and turns - it's about controlling what we can, turning up and taking confidence from remaining unbeaten."

Bristol City travel to QPR looking to keep their bid for a Championship play-off finish on track on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Robins are fifth and hold a three-point cushion to Middlesbrough in seventh after a run of six wins in 10 games (D3 L1).

The Hoops ended a seven-game winless run with a 3-1 victory at Oxford on Wednesday and are seven points clear of the relegation zone.

• Queens Park Rangers have lost just one of their previous six games against Bristol City in the Championship (W3 D2), although that was at home in 2022-23 (0-2).

• Bristol City are unbeaten in their past seven league visits to QPR (W5 D2) since a 1-0 defeat in October 2016.

• After winning seven of their eight home league games across December, January and February, QPR are since winless in three outings at Loftus Road (D2 L1).

• Bristol City have won both of their past two league games, last winning three in a row in December 2023.

• Nahki Wells has scored in both of Bristol City's past two league games; the last time he scored in three successive league appearances was for Queens Park Rangers in January 2020.

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City could "possibly" have midfielder Scott Twine back from injury for Saturday's Championship match against QPR.

Twine has missed the Robins' wins against Watford and West Brom with an injury that he has been "managing" and will need to address at the end of the season.

"I sat with Twiney [this week] to have a chat with him, he's desperate to get back and contribute and play," Robins manager Liam Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"With the type of injury it will be day-by-day with how he responds. There's a possibility for the weekend but we'll see."

Twine has scored five goals in 30 Championship matches for Bristol City this season, with the win against the Baggies on Tuesday night moving the club up to fifth in the table.

"You look at the scenes around Ashton Gate, it was absolutely phenomenal, and they definitely feel like they are the team that are taking that initiative where others are stumbling."

In this week's episode of the 72+ podcast, the team discuss Bristol City's rise in form and how they might be the team to beat in the race to secure a play-off place.

"We talk about momentum a lot at this stage of the season - and for good reason - and right now, it seems that Bristol City are the ones to have it," former Reading midfielder Jobi McAnuff said.

"Going on to get a last-minute winner against one of your rivals and the damage that can do to West Brom can be huge."

Listen to the full episode and more on the Football Daily podcast.

Chris Honor
BBC Radio Bristol summariser and former Bristol City defender

Image source, PA Media

Bristol City have conceded goals in the last minute for years when we've lost games. Even this year against Sheffield United we conceded two somehow at home, but this is maybe our chance. This might be it.

The win over West Brom has pushed us six points ahead of them, seven points ahead of Watford. We're doing great.

It's been six years since we were even close to this, 2007-08 since we got into the play-offs, it's well overdue. I am so delighted for this fanbase to enjoy this moment because we didn't really expect it.

We've gone under the radar, we're the surprise package, we've come up on the rails, no one expected us to be fifth or sixth in the league, but we are and we've got a massive chance.

We've always been there or thereabouts in the last few years but never quite this high up. Six years ago (when Bristol City finished 11th) we didn't quite make it and it's been a season after season almost of regret, and the season just fizzling out without anything of any commitment from the fans to look forward to.

We've got five games - QPR Saturday, Luton away, Leeds, Sunderland, Preston to finish. The fans are going to go nuts.

David Pottier
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Bristol City consolidated their position in the play off positions in a thrilling game at Ashton Gate as they beat faltering West Bromwich Albion 2-1.

The teams were all square at half time although City would have taken a deserved interval lead were it not for two stunning saves from former Bristol Rovers loanee goalkeeper Josh Griffiths.

Nahki Wells keeps rolling back the years - he's 35 in June - and the Bermudian showed his class to turn the defender and stroke the ball into the far corner almost on the hour to give City the lead that their high energy display deserved.

For a few minutes, they really turned on the style before a calamitous misunderstanding between Max O'Leary and Cam Pring presented Alex Mowatt with and easy chance to equalise. That heralded a period of dominance by the Baggies and with both teams introducing four subs each (65 minutes in for West Brom; 75 mins for City) the game moved towards its closing finale.

O'Leary atoned for any blame that might have been attached to him for the goal conceded with two saves and then the visitors had Jayson Molumby sent off for a rash challenge on Joe Williams.

With five minutes of added time signalled, City were camped on the edge of Albion's area probing for a way through and it actually came in the 96th minute when a corner was only half cleared and Rob Dickie slipped the ball to Haydon Roberts to prod home, the goal going between the keeper's legs.

The roof literally came off Ashton Gate as the crowd erupted, such was the importance of gaining all three points against a fellow play off challenger.

It drew comparison with Korey Smith's late goal against Manchester United in 2017 and in the play-offs when Christian Roberts earned victory over Hartlepool to see Bristol City the 2004 final.

City are hitting form at just the right time and need fear no one at this critical point of the season.

You can hear more from David Pottier on the fans podcast Forever Bristol City, external.

Image source, Getty Images

Bristol City manager said Haydon Roberts' 96th-minute winner in front of a roaring Ashton Gate crowd to give his side a 2-1 win against play-off rivals West Brom was a "memory that will stick" with the players and fans.

"We've been on the other end of a few of those this season so to come away scoring so late and picking up three points in an important game is a great feeling and probably a memory that will stick with a few of the lads and fans I'm sure – a terrific evening," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"Top energy, top atmosphere and a top performance. Up to their goal I thought we were excellent. The bravery to play, the quality, the way we went through them at times and there was a real purpose to our play which I really enjoyed and credit to the lads for that.

"To let them back in against the run of play you just get a major momentum shift, you allow them back in through us and it flips and they get the momentum and go on top.

"We stuck at it, we kept believing, we kept fighting, we kept running, we kept being brave and we got the rewards at the end."

West Bromwich Albion will make the trip to Ashton Gate on Tuesday (19:45 BST) to try and knock Bristol City out of a play-off place.

Victory for the Baggies will see them level with the Robins on points but with a better goal difference.

However, Albion are winless across their past four league matches and have lost both of their past two.

Whereas, their hosts have only lost one in nine and will be hoping their form continues to see the West Midlands side drift further afield.

• Bristol City have only won one of their last nine league meetings with West Bromwich Albion (D2 L6), a 2-0 away win in October 2022.

• West Brom have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four league meetings with Bristol City. Only against four sides have they avoided conceding in 5+ consecutive league meetings in their history: Nottingham Forest (5 ending 1898), Birmingham (7 ending 1923), Brighton (5 ending 1990), and Middlesbrough (5 ending 2016).

• Bristol City are unbeaten in their last seven midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games (W3 D4), last going on a longer such run which ended in September 2015 (16).

• West Brom are winless in their last 12 away league games (D7 L5), only twice before enduring a longer run outside of the top-flight, going 13 without a win from October 1929 to March 1930 and 14 from August 1994 to January 1995.

• West Brom's Tony Mowbray has won just one of his last six away league games against Bristol City (D2 L3), a 2-0 victory with Blackburn in December 2019.

Gary Owers
Former Bristol City player and BBC Radio Bristol summariser

Image source, Rex Features

City were dominant against Watford on Saturday - they were outstanding, they were comfortable, and they deserved to be comfortable at half-time.

They took a little bit of a backward step in the second half which allowed Watford to build a little more confidence, make one or two passes in central areas.

And all of a sudden Louza picked out Doumbia on the edge of the box, one turn and shot and City were heading towards the closing stages of the game a little bit nervous.

The atmosphere at the start of the game and the atmosphere at the end... it's the first time I sensed that the City fans really believe that we're in this now, we're in this seriously and we've got an absolutely brilliant chance of finishing in the top six.

The roar for the two goals in the first half was incredible, but the best moment of the game for me was in the second half near the end when George Earthy made that tackle and the crowd absolutely erupted.

Moments like that stick in your mind.

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City forward Nahki Wells is having a "really strong season", says manager Liam Manning, who has praised the example the striker sets within the team.

Wells scored his ninth league goal of the campaign and set up another as Bristol City beat Watford 2-1 to move into the Championship play-off places.

The 34-year-old is the oldest player in the Robins squad and the only player over the age of 30.

"He's having a really strong season when you look at his goal return and beyond that his performance level has been excellent as well," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"He's the only senior [player] we've got in the group - Rob's [Dickie] the next one - but he does an outstanding job of every day bringing energy, staying calm, role modelling what you want from a professional."

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City manager Liam Manning praised his side's game management after the 2-1 win over play-off rivals Watford.

Manning told BBC Radio Bristol: "I love working with the lads. I'm proud of them.

"I thought the lads were outstanding. I'm delighted to get the three points and so many positive aspects from the performance as well.

"You look at the profile of [Watford], you know it's going to be a really physical tough game and especially as they've got some talented individuals that can change it in a moment.

"You have to manage that by taking care of the ball and I think first-half was excellent as to how we did that. We kept them penned in.

"Second half was one of those where they had a lot of the ball but didn't carry as much threat as we did on the counter. It's that stage of the season where it's about finding a way to win and we did it."