Bristol City

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City boss Liam Manning hit out at the "ridiculous" recent fixtures schedule following his side's 1-1 draw at Cardiff City.

The Robins were playing their fourth game of the month, from which they have picked up five points to lie eighth in the table, two points outside the play-off places.

"I think the schedule is quite neglectful for the players, it becomes quite dangerous," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"Energy wise we were a little bit flat at times, especially first half, hence we made the changes to try and bring a bit of energy into the team.

"We did well to get ahead and then it becomes about how you manage the game. When we drop points, it tends to be away from home and we've just got to keep the ball better, rather than sitting that deep.

"At Championship level, you should never take points for granted. It's another game unbeaten his week and it's now about taking the learning from it and taking it into Friday (against Middlesbrough).

Manning lost Ross McCrorie with a hamstring "twinge" just before the hour.

"To go Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday, you run that risk, you're exposing players, it's dangerous and I just don't get it," he added.

Bristol City will seek to gatecrash the Championship play-off places as they head to Cardiff on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

The Robins overcame Stoke 2-0 on Wednesday night to climb to seventh, their highest position since August, and lie two points behind West Brom in sixth, with Blackburn a further point and place ahead.

The Bluebirds are two places and two points above the relegation zone and have lost their past two in the league, though they are unbeaten in four at home.

• Cardiff City are unbeaten in their past four league games against Bristol City (W3 D1), keeping three clean sheets in that time.

• After winning on three successive trips to Cardiff in the league between November 2019 and August 2021, Bristol City have lost on their past two visits in the league.

• Cardiff are unbeaten in their past four home league games (W2 D2); the Bluebirds last enjoyed a longer run in October 2023 (6 games – W5 D1).

• Following successive away league wins over Preston (3-1) and Norwich (2-0), Bristol City are without an away league win in their past eight games (D4 L4); their longest run since February 2022 (11 games).

• Cardiff's Callum Robinson has scored more Championship goals against Bristol City than any other side (5), though is yet to score in his two previous league games for the Bluebirds against the Robins.

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Bristol City forward Anis Mehmeti believes his "all-round game" can still improve after he scored both goals in the team's win against Stoke City.

Mehmeti now has 11 goals this campaign as the club's leading scorer, almost three times as many as the four he scored in the Championship during 2023-24.

"In terms of my all-round game, 100%, I can be more of a threat in one-v-one situations," Mehmeti told BBC Radio Bristol.

"The type of guy that I am, when everything's going well for me I look forward, and my downfall is probably when things ain't going too great, I dwell on it too much.

"I'm buzzing about hitting double figures now, and it's just about hitting as many goals as I can but also chipping in with assists, which I think I need to be doing."

The win against Stoke moved Bristol City up to seventh and came after defeat by Swansea on Sunday.

"I would probably describe it as a mature, professional win. We knew we had to win today because we lost on Sunday, so great reaction from the boys," Mehmeti said.

"I thought today in the final third we were much more fluid, much better combined."

Image source, Getty Images

Bristol City boss Liam Manning was delighted with the attacking quality shown by his team as Anis Mehmeti's double secured a 2-0 win over Stoke and put them seventh in the Championship table.

The Robins are just two points outside the top six as they look to reach the play-offs for the first time since being promoted from League One in 2015.

"The first goal was an outstanding moment of quality. In the second half it was about managing the game without the ball, which was important," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"The lads are such a top group to work with. We are able to move on quickly, which is a strength of the group, and we were able to find a way to win. In terms of managing the game and being professional, we did that well.

"There are goals in this group of players, as we can see. There was some top play, not only in our goals, but other chances. We got into some good areas and if you keep doing that you will score eventually.

"We had an honest meeting yesterday about what we can do better, how we can improve. We need to be tough on ourselves, not hide away, and the players were open to that."

Bristol City are looking to get their play-off bid back on track when they welcome Stoke City on Wednesday night (19:45).

The Robins have won just one of their past five games (D2 L2), including a 1-0 defeat at home to Swansea on Sunday but are still only three points off the top six.

The Potters were knocked out of the FA Cup by Cardiff on penalties at the weekend but ended a five-game winless streak with victory at Hull City last time out in the league for their first win under Mark Robins.

• Bristol City have failed to win any of their past three league games against Stoke City (D1 L2), the club's longest winless run against the Potters since a seven-match stint between April 1995 and April 2002.

• Stoke City have won each of their past two away league games against Bristol City and will be looking to win three in succession at Ashton Gate for the first time.

• Bristol City forward Nahki Wells has scored four goals in his past four Championship starts against Stoke, scoring twice in the 2-2 draw in this season's reverse fixture.

• Stoke City ended a seven-game winless away league run (D3 L4) with a 2-1 victory at Hull last time out. The Potters haven't won consecutive away games since March 2024.

• Stoke manager Mark Robins has already picked up a point at Ashton Gate this season with Coventry in August – he has only won two of his nine visits there in the EFL (D3 L4), winning with Huddersfield Town in 2012-13 and Coventry in 2021-22.

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City manager Liam Manning said he felt "frustrated" following his side's 1-0 defeat by Swansea on Sunday.

The Robins dominated the game in terms of shots, with 19 to nine from the Swans, and also had the edge in possession statistics.

The loss leaves the Robins three points outside the top six ahead of their game against Stoke on Wednesday night.

"I think when you analyse it, in terms of the control, the team that probably dominated for the longest periods carried the biggest threat, I thought was us. It was literally a five-minute spell that's cost us," Manning said.

"Around that there was a lot of good, albeit the quality in and around the penalty area.

"I just said to the lads [in the changing room], we're not going to change the culture of the club in terms of being a relentless winning machine overnight.

"The progress I think is quite clear to see, it's then learning, understanding, how you turn strong performances into wins. We've managed to do it numerous times this season but weren't able to do it today."

Swansea City will seek to stop the rot in the Championship as they head to Ashton Gate to face Bristol City on Sunday (12:00 GMT).

The Robins go into the weekend sat ninth, two points outside the play-off places and eight ahead of the Swans, who have slipped to 17th, only seven clear of the drop-zone.

• Bristol City are unbeaten across their past three league games against Swansea City (W2 D1), last having a longer run against the Welsh side during a run of four matches between 2006 and 2008.

• Swansea have won just one of their past six away league games against Bristol City (D3 L2), beating them 1-0 in August 2021.

• Bristol City have won each of their past four home league games, last winning more consecutively between December 2014 and February 2015 in League One (5).

• Swansea City have lost each of their past four league games, last losing five in a row in April/May 2018 as a Premier League side.

• Scott Twine has been involved in five goals in his past six home games in the Championship, scoring four and assisting one. Indeed, all seven of his league goals for Bristol City have come at Ashton Gate.

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Bristol City's upcoming run of three Championship games in seven days "is just madness", according to head coach Liam Manning.

The Robins face Swansea City at home on Sunday at 12:00 GMT, Stoke City away on Wednesday, 12 February at 19:45 GMT, and Cardiff City away in the 12:30 GMT kick-off on Saturday, 15 February.

"It's a tough week, the scheduling's horrific, when you look at it, I think it's terrible," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"[We] talk a lot about the integrity of the competition but when you look at the organisation and the timing's to go Sunday, Wednesday night and early on a Saturday is just madness."

Bristol City are currently ninth and two points outside the top six, and have two draws and a win in their past three games.

"It is what it is, it's one you have to deal with, and again you need the options, you need the depth, and I think we've shown before that turning round quickly and in games is a strength of ours," Manning added.

"We can bounce from Sunday into Wednesday quite well. We'll need everybody to be fresh, to be in a good spot and ready to contribute."

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On Wednesday we asked what you made of Bristol City's business in the transfer window.

There were no new faces at Ashton Gate during the window, though City did manage to hang on to Mark Sykes, while the Robins saw four players go out on loan with Ephraim Yeboah heading to Dunfermline, Kal Naismith joining Luton, Fally Mayulu going to Sturm Graz and Rob Atkinson to Portsmouth.

Boss Liam Manning said finances were partly behind the lack of incomings, telling BBC Radio Bristol: "We had quite a big summer in terms of what we brought in."

Here are some of your responses:

Gary: I may be one of the only fans who think this but I'm not too upset about not making any signings this window. January is always tough and signings don't always produce when brought in this window. Lots of people said we could dip into the loan market, do you not remember Ryan Kent and Lois Diony? Both came to the club with lots of promise but never delivered. Keeping hold of key players was important - having three fit centre-backs is a worry, but we have the pathway we can use.

Alan: Speaks volumes about the lack of ambition at Ashton Gate. We are touching distance from the play-offs. We have no reliable striking cover behind the hard-working but 34-year-old Nahki Wells. Yet we wouldn't even bring in a forward on loan. Very disappointing.

Ed: As usual, a disappointing lack of ambition from the senior management to push hard for promotion. They blame the transfer activity in the summer for a lack of funds, but that activity has produced no significant improvement. What happened to the proceeds of the sales of Semenyo, Scott and Conway?

DJ: Underwhelming January window, but having seen the recent communication from the club, I can completely understand why. It's a shame though, as with a couple of decent loanees we could have had a decent push towards the top six. I really hope after what the club have said about the academy lads not getting game time due to squad size that this now changes and I would love to see Elijah Morrison get his chance.

Darren: Frustrated to say the least as it is so obvious to all that watch how much we needed a striker. I understand that if Fally had not settled in that it's best for him to go out on loan. We are in the best position we have been in for a long time and it feels like we show no ambition to go forward, and feel we will probably fall short, but I hope the team will prove me wrong.

Ben: Keeping Mark Sykes is as good as a new signing. He's a key player. January signings don't always have a positive impact so keeping the strong team spirit is a positive step as a play-off place is a real possibility.

Alex: It was an embarrassing January but let's be honest we're still paying for the sins of the summer. The recruitment was on the whole very poor and if was done properly January would happily be quiet. We sign two strikers for big money and neither are fit or good enough to start over an ageing striker who was on his way out. Until we put competent people in charge then we will continue in this cycle of being average. All that said, to be three points off play-offs and not sign the one player who could get us over the line just says it all really.

Andy: Truthfully I am fully supportive of the club's position regarding the January window. We are a club being managed well, both at academy and first-team level and well supported by our owners. We may be a mid-table Championship team pushing for an occasional play-off place but rather that than boom and bust.

Jordan: Still need a proven striker. All these Championship clubs signing top strikers and other players and we've let Mayulu go and no one else brought in? Can't see Wells and Armstrong getting us into play-offs.

Image source, Rex Features

It's time to talk about Bristol City's transfer business...

There were no new faces at Ashton Gate during the window, though City did manage to hang on to Mark Sykes as the midfielder penned a new deal despite interest from other Championship clubs.

The Robins saw four players go out on loan with Ephraim Yeboah heading to Dunfermline, Kal Naismith joining Luton, Fally Mayulu going to Sturm Graz and Rob Atkinson to Portsmouth while Tommy Backwell departed for Cheltenham without making a first-team appearance for City.

Boss Liam Manning said finances were partly behind the lack of incomings, telling BBC Radio Bristol: "We had quite a big summer in terms of what we brought in."

We want you to tell us what you think about the Robins' transfer dealings...

Let us know your thoughts here.