Bristol City

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Mark Sykes has joined Bristol City's growing injury list as the midfielder looks set to miss two games due to a shin problem.

Sykes came on as a substitute to replace the injured Neto Borges after 24 minutes in the 1-0 defeat by Blackburn but was unable to finish the match due to a cut on his leg that meant a trip to hospital on Tuesday night.

"He's out the next two games, he was in the hospital today with a specialist, a plastic surgeon," boss Gerhard Struber told BBC Radio Bristol.

"He has a very long cut on his shin line and this looks really bad."

City travel to Watford on Friday on the back of successive defeats before the league takes a two-week international break, prior to hosting Swansea on 22 November.

The Robins now have 10 players unavailable, with Rob Atkinson set to be out until at least Christmas with a hamstring injury.

The severity of Borges' injury was still unknown to Struber, with the left-back having had a scan on Wednesday.

"I [will] get the picture in the next few hours and we [will] have a clear diagnosis what goes on but we hope for the best," he added.

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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."

Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber was frustrated by the number of interruptions in the game as they went down 1-0 at home to Blackburn Rovers.

"This crashed our flow in the game," he told BBC Radio Bristol..

"It was difficult to deal with Blackburn, their energy, and you can see at the moment they have momentum with this style of play.

"They had two moments in the first half and score, we have two in the second half and don't score. In the end I would say it's a defeat which feels painful."

The Robins suffered further injury problems during the game, with Neto Borges going off after less than half an hour.

"We would wish a different situation where we can bring fresh legs on but that's not possible at the moment with the injuries. I am not going to moan but it's a big challenge at the moment," said Struber.

"He (Neto Borges) felt something could come and made the very good decision to come out. Mark Sykes has a big, deep cut on the shin bone. He's on the way to the hospital right now. It's not so good for the Friday game."

Bristol City host Blackburn Rovers tonight (19:45 GMT) and will be hoping to bounce back after Saturday's heavy 5-1 defeat by Stoke City.

Blackburn are fresh from an impressive 2-0 away victory over Leicester City on Saturday which was just their fourth win of the season.

The away side have won their last two games and will be eyeing a third straight victory.

• The home side has won all four league meetings between Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers over the past two seasons, while the Robins are unbeaten at home against Rovers in their last five (W3 D2).

• Blackburn Rovers did the league double over Bristol City in the 2019-20 campaign but have won just two of 10 league meetings with the Robins since then (D3 L5).

• Since the start of last season, Coventry City (59) are the only ever-present side to win more home points in the Championship than Bristol City (57), who have lost just five of 30 matches at Ashton Gate (W16 D9).

• Blackburn Rovers won three of their seven midweek (Tue/Wed/Thu) Championship away games last season (D1 L3), their most midweek away wins in a league campaign since 2017-18 in League One (6).

• Bristol City manager Gerhard Struber's first game in the EFL came against Blackburn Rovers with Barnsley in November 2019, a 3-2 defeat. His only other meeting with Rovers ended in a 2-0 home win in June 2020.

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Bristol City will be without centre-back Rob Atkinson for the "next few weeks" due to a hamstring injury says head coach Gerhard Struber.

Atkinson went off early in the second half of the 5-1 defeat by Stoke on Saturday.

The 27-year-old has started all of the Robins' 13 Championship matches this season, playing the full 90 minutes in nine of them.

"It looks like a hamstring injury - he is for sure out the next few weeks," Struber told BBC Radio Bristol.

City play Blackburn at home on Tuesday and face the prospect of having to play another makeshift defensive backline.

Luke McNally and Cameron Pring remain unavailable due to injuries, while centre-back Zak Vyner has been deployed in centre of midfield for the past six matches due to the number of injuries also across the middle of the pitch.

David Pottier
Fan writer

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City had high hopes of getting something from their trip to Stoke at the weekend. They had won their previous three games and, with no midweek fixture, the tired legs of the players who were still fit within an injury-ravaged squad had some welcome extra recovery time.

By 3.25 on Saturday afternoon the game was over as Stoke raced to a three-goal lead and by the end were well deserving of an emphatic 5-1 win.

City were slow to start whereas Stoke seemed fired up by their manager, Mark Robins, and deservedly took a fourth-minute lead. Gerhard Struber's men played their way back into the game but what happened in the 21st minute was, based on performances to date, a wholly uncharacteristic error by goalkeeper Radek Vitek.

The young Czech 'keeper, on loan from Manchester United, has taken the plaudits after a string of fine performances, including some "worldie" saves, but on this occasion he spilled the ball from Million Manhoef's overhit pass and Stoke's Divin Mubama showed quick feet to nip it off him to slide it into the net for his second.

The other news of note from Ashton Gate last week was the appointment to the board of former Premier League chief executive, Richard Scudamore.

A lifelong City fan, Richard was a regular attendee in the directors' box even before his retirement. In more recent years that has increased to the extent that he has been operating in an advisory capacity to the club's hierarchy.

What difference his formal appointment to the board will actually make remains to be seen but with the club for sale, either as part of Bristol Sport or hived off separately, having a person of his stature more formally involved can only be a good thing.

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Bristol City head coach Gerhard Struber says his side has to "bounce back" after their 5-1 loss at Stoke City.

Divin Mubama scored a hat-trick for the Potters as the Robins lost for the first time away from home this season.

"This is the Championship and I think the Championship shows us, and especially Stoke City today showed us, a face where we had a lot of problems," Struber told BBC Radio Bristol.

"It's a really good learning point and a really good realisation of what's going on in this league when you're not on the highest level.

"We were not ready in our synchronised pressing, we were not ready to be sharp in transition, and I think they deserved the victory on this level.

"We were not sharp enough for this level and the good thing is we have to learn, we have to reflect, and we have to be very honest with ourselves.

"Everything that can go worst went worst today, but Tuesday night is waiting and we have to do everything right now that we bounce back on Tuesday night with our typical face."

Both Bristol City and Stoke City will be looking to keep themselves in the mix at the top when they face each other at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The two sides currently sit next to each other on the table, with the Robins taking a slender one point lead over the fifth placed Potters but trailing leaders Coventry City by six points prior to the weekend.

Bristol City could enter the top two with a victory should other results fall their way, while Stoke will want to take three points to secure their place in the top six for another weekend.

• Stoke City have lost five of their seven home league games against Bristol City since New Years Day 2019, their joint-most defeats on home soil against any side in that time period (also West Brom and Preston with five).

• Bristol City have lost just four of their last 13 league games against Stoke City (W7 D2), avoiding defeat in both meetings with the Potters last term (2-2 away, 2-0 home).

• Stoke have lost just two of their last 11 home league games (W6 D3), keeping five clean sheets during that time.

• Bristol City have won each of their last three league games and will be looking to win four in succession for the first time since their opening four matches of the 2020-21 campaign.

• Stoke City goalkeeper Viktor Johansson holds a 81.8% save percentage in the Championship this season, the best rate of any goalkeeper to face 10+ shots on target this term.

Bristol City forward Emil Riis is "on track" to be available for the trip to Stoke on Saturday, according to head coach Gerhard Struber.

The Dane came off at half-time during the win against Southampton on 21 October with an undisclosed injury, and also missed the win against Birmingham City last Saturday.

"Emil is back, everything is good, and he is available on Saturday," Struber told BBC Radio Bristol.

The Robins still remain without a number of players because of injury, particularly across their midfield, with Joe Williams, Jason Knight and Max Bird all out for a number of weeks now.

Struber said while it has brought better connections between those playing, he wants to be able to rotate more "fresh legs" into the team to maximise the style of play he wants to see.

"I am very unhappy that we have a situation like that," he said.

"We work hard, we have a better picture in this way, but right now it's a very small roster, especially the last game. You could see how close was it in the end [against Birmingham] to bring the points home."

Struber added that discussions have taken place with owner Steve Lansdown to add reinforcements in the January transfer window.

"We have a big trust in this group. We have to bring players back from injuries and then we want to use the transfer window in January, and I would say our owner is hungry this season," he said.

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David Pottier
Fan writer

Image source, Rex Features

You often hear the phrase 'progressive English coach' bandied around and in the Championship that could certainly apply to Liam Manning, Will Still and Chris Davies of Norwich, Southampton, and Birmingham, respectively.

It would be true to say that, based on the season so far, none are living up to the expectations of their owners and I would not be surprised if at least one of them is out of a job before Christmas.

The other thing this managerial trio have in common is that in the space of seven days they all suffered defeat against Gerhard Struber's Bristol City.

Gerhard's philosophy when it comes to playing the game is far removed from the patient, possession-based approach preferred by Manning, Still and Davies.

The Austrian's coaching ethos is based upon energy, playing on the front foot and creating chaos in the attacking third of the field.

His team may be short on strikers but only free-scoring Coventry City have found the target more often in the Championship and the Robins are undefeated on the road, which means it should be an intriguing game at the weekend when they play the team immediately below them in the table, Mark Robins' Stoke City.

Struber showed on Saturday that there is more to him than his gung-ho approach as coaching aficionados' might label it.

His squad is decimated by injuries with at least four out who would be first picks and added to the others there is little opportunity for rotation with the demanding schedule of the Championship.

What makes matters worse is that most of the absentees are in midfield where, with his style, an abundance of energy is critical – Jason Knight, Max Bird and Joe Williams, plus the promising Josh Stokes, are all currently out with no firm date for any as regards their future availability.

Defender Zak Vyner is playing out of position alongside Adam Randell so their legs were going to be very tired after two games in five days. A further complication was that main striker Emil Riis' name was added to the injury list having come off after 55 minutes against Norwich on Tuesday.

Step forward the much-maligned Sinclair Armstrong for his first start since March. Not only did he continue to build on the improvement shown in recent substitute appearances but he scored his first goal since last November as he latched on to the impressive Rob Atkinson's pass and raced forward before expertly placing the ball with his right foot beyond James Beadle in the Birmingham goal.

In the second half, Birmingham laid siege to City's goal and this is where Struber showed his mettle as his well-drilled team defended as one, saving their tired legs and doing it in such a way that City keeper Radek Vitek did not have to make a save worthy of the name.

There is still a very long way to go - 34 games, in fact - but older fans who remember the 1975-76 promotion campaign are thinking maybe, just maybe, some 50 years on the club might repeat that feat.

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Goalkeeper Joe Lumley has returned to Bristol City after his emergency seven-day loan at Sheffield Wednesday.

Wednesday were allowed to sign Lumley, 30, last week after Ethan Horvath's red card at Charlton left them without a senior goalkeeper.

Northern Ireland's Pierce Charles is still recovering from shoulder surgery and Lumley made his Owls debut against his old club Middlesbrough on Wednesday before starting Saturday's clash against Oxford, the south Yorkshire club's first game since going into administration.

The former Reading and Middlesbrough stopper has now gone back to City, where he has made two EFL Cup appearances since his summer move from Southampton.

Wednesday confirmed Lumley's departure on Monday and said in a statement: "Thank you for stepping in Joe and best of luck for the future."

Gerhard Struber praised match-winner Sinclair Armstrong for his goal and for his attitude in training after Bristol City beat Birmingham City.

The Robins manager told BBC Radio Bristol: "Results-wise it's been really, really good but in possession, on this level today, was not what we want.

"We defended really, really well together and in the end it was very, very difficult for Birmingham to use their typical possession game in a direction where they could realise many good chances.

"We were super-sharp in transition from Sinclair Armstrong, in exactly the way we want to go. I was happy with the boys but you could see with all the effort they have invested in the last few games, they are empty!

"I'm very pleased [for Armstrong}. He trained with high investment for the past few months without much game time, and he is growing, stepping in the right direction."

Bristol City manager Gerhard Struber will make a late decision on the fitness of striker Emil Riis for the visit of Birmingham City.

The Dane went off early in the second half during Tuesday's 3-1 win over Southampton and walked straight down the tunnel with the undisclosed injury.

Struber said he was due to have a meeting with Riis and the club doctor on Friday afternoon but would not play him if there was any "risk".

"It is 100 per cent not a bad injury - we have to look if he is ready tomorrow or if the risk could be too high," Struber told BBC Radio Bristol.

Sinclair Armstrong came on for Riis against Saints and made an impact but his goalless streak now stands at 33 matches.

Struber said he has seen improvements from the 22-year-old in his creative play.

"We saw that he make one or another jumps in his personal style and he helps the group," Struber added.

"This is what we want and we will see how everything is working tomorrow [with Riis] but we need consistency in the performance.

"I like it when players are consistent on a really high level and this is something we can see the last two weeks, we have a group of players on a high level and very reliable in the games."

Bristol City head into this game looking to win three league matches in a row for the first time since December 2023.

Birmingham are going for back-to-back away victories, having won 1-0 at Preston on Tuesday evening.

• Bristol City have won just one of their past six league games against Birmingham City (D1 L4), failing to score in four of those matches.

• Birmingham City have won 10 of their past 13 away league games against Bristol City (D1 L2), including five of their previous six (L1).

• Only Coventry (12) have won more home Championship games in 2025 than Bristol City (10).

• After beating Preston 1-0 last time out, Birmingham are looking to win successive away Championship games for the first time since September 2022.

• Only Brandon Thomas-Asante (11) and Oliver McBurnie (9) have more goal involvements in the Championship this season than Bristol City's Anis Mehmeti (8 – 5 goals, 3 assists), recording five in his past five games at Ashton Gate (3 goals, 2 assists).

Bristol City head coach Gerhard Struber said he was "happy" with the energy, press in attack and clinical edge in front of goal from his side as they came from behind to beat Southampton 3-1.

The win was only the Robins' second home victory in the Championship this season and moved them up to fourth in the table.

"We are happy, we dealt with a big opponent, we are on a really good level," Struber told BBC Radio Bristol.

"We struggled a little bit in the first half especially in the first 30 minutes, we were not always on the same page in the way we press. It was really good that we bounced back with Anis Mehmeti, showed them how difficult it is against us.

"The second half we changed the pressing line and waited for the right moment to come in transitions, we killed them today over this phase and I'm very happy with how the boys did it, how smart they dealt with them.

"We spoke with the boys that we should be at home on the same balance like [we are] away and today we had the same energy, the smart pressing and were clean enough to score."