Bristol City

Image source, Rex Features

Liam Manning hit out at referee Oliver Langford's 'inconsistency' after he sent off two Bristol City players in their 1-1 draw at Oxford.

City went down to 10 men after half an hour following Joe Williams' straight red card for a foul on Will Vaulks and also lost defender Ross McCrorie to his second booking late in the game.

Despite that, the visitors held on for a point as former Oxford man Mark Sykes cancelled out Greg Leigh's opener for the U's in the second half.

"I think the referee had an extremely poor performance," Robins boss Manning told BBC Radio Bristol. "It probably created a lot of frustration for our fans, staff and players purely from the inconsistency when you look at some of the decisions.

"Emotions get increased because you don't know what is a foul, what is a yellow card and so on. There were many the other way as well, so I'm not saying we were hard done by.

"I think he was just inconsistent for both sides, which creates the frustration and rather than being about the players playing the game, it becomes how he manages it and the decisions he makes.

"The second half epitomises what you want culturally, the lads' desire to run, compete and stick together. To defend the box how we did, to respond to going a goal behind – the lads should be proud of coming away with something."

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Bristol City forward Ephraim Yeboah has joined Scottish Championship club Dunfermline on loan until the end of the season.

The 18-year-old spent the first half of the 2024-25 campaign on loan at League Two side Doncaster Rovers, making 15 appearances in all competitions and scoring two goals - both in the EFL Trophy.

Yeboah broke into the Robins first team last season and made 12 appearances before going on loan to National League South outfit Bath City in February 2024.

"Ephraim is an exciting young player and this spell in the Scottish Championship is a good way for him to experience a first team environment at a good level," Bristol City academy director Brian Tinnion told the club website, external.

Oxford United are currently 16th and welcome Bristol City to the Kassam Stadium on Saturday lunchtime looking to extend their eight-game unbeaten run.

The Robins are eighth and just three points shy of the play-off spots, having lost just one of their past seven games (W4 D2).

• Oxford United have lost just two of their past 15 league games against Bristol City (W6 D7), though those two defeats have come across their past three meetings with the Robins.

• After winning the reverse fixture 2-1 in September, Bristol City are looking to complete a first league double over Oxford United in the EFL.

• Oxford are unbeaten across their past eight league games (W5 D3), their longest run in the second tier since November 1992 (also eight games).

• Since winning on back-to-back trips in the Championship in early November (v Preston North End and Norwich City), Bristol City have gone winless in their past seven league away games (D3 L4).

• Oxford's Ciaron Brown has netted three goals in eight Championship appearances under Gary Rowett, after only netting once in his first 38 games in the competition beforehand.

Image source, PA Media

Bristol City boss Liam Manning says he has "good memories" of his time at Oxford United but is fully focused on "doing everything to win" on his return to the Kassam Stadium on Saturday.

Manning left the U's, who were in League One at the time, in November 2023 after six months in charge in order to become the Robins' head coach.

"Obviously I spent a period of time there and I had some good memories," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol when asked about facing Oxford.

"I'm all-in here and look forward to taking this group of players there to try and win.

"I'll see some familiar faces, some of the people I worked with there and some of the players, but football moves on quite quickly.

"Gary [Rowett] has gone in there and done a really good job and in the eight games he's had, you've only got to look at their form and how they're performing to show they're in a good spot.

"That's a good challenge for us to go there and hit the level we're capable of."

Bristol City are eighth in the Championship and three points off the play-off spots going into the weekend.

But Manning says his side are taking it game by game and "turn up excited" for matches regardless of their league position.

"We get bogged down so much by outcomes and results," he added.

"People forget to live in the moment a little bit, and get so concentrated on too far ahead.

"Enjoy it - that's been my message with the lads. It's all about trying to create special memories, so that's why I live in the present, enjoy the moment and let everybody give their all Saturday."

Bristol City have rejected a bid from Stoke City for Republic of Ireland midfielder Mark Sykes, 27, after the Potters failed to meet the Robins' valuation. (Sky Sports), external

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Stoke City have made a bid for Bristol City midfielder Mark Sykes. The Republic of Ireland international has six months left on his contract but Stoke are keen to sign the 27-year-old in the January transfer window. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer news and rumours from the EFL? Read Tuesday's gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

Bristol City "should have the confidence" to say they are in the race for the Championship play-offs, midfielder Joe Williams says.

The Robins beat Blackburn 2-1 to move up to eighth in the table, just three points away from Middlesbrough in sixth.

City have not reached the top six since the 2007-08 season, when they finished fourth in the table and were beaten by Hull in the Wembley final.

"We back ourselves, definitely," Williams told BBC Radio Bristol.

"We should have the confidence to say 'yeah, we are in this and we should be in this'.

"We're actually disappointed to not be higher than we are, to be honest, because we think we've dropped some points where we could have gained.

"It's a long way away if we can stay in and around that pack and give ourselves a chance, we'll be delighted by it."

Williams, who made his second appearance from the bench in the win against Blackburn after returning from injury, said if the team had been offered their current position at the start of the season they would be happy.

"I think we'd take this position now that we're in," he said.

Liam Manning praised his Bristol City players for putting the team above themselves after their 2-1 Championship over Blackburn Rovers.

Manning cited midfielder Joe Williams as a prime example after he put aside his disappointment at not starting by coming off the bench to make a major impact and set up fellow substitute Nahki Wells' winning goal.

"Across the course of the season you need everybody," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"I know Joe is frustrated at not starting and not getting minutes but the best way you can respond is by doing what he did today.

"I thought he was excellent today and won us the game ultimately.

"That's something we have to keep, have to harness that, we have to make sure everyone puts the team ahead of themselves which is difficult at times because everybody, naturally wants to do well themselves.

"I was sat in my office for a good few hours staring at the magnets on the wall, scratching my head [about picking the team].

"For me it's a sign of progress. It's really good the headaches we have got. When you look at the depth, the options the quality its massive that we can bring people on to raise the level."

Wolves have rejected an opening offer from Millwall for midfielder Luke Cundle, who is also wanted by Swansea City and Bristol City. (Express and Star), external

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Bristol City will welcome Blackburn Rovers to Ashton Gate on Saturday (15:00 GMT) for a game with big implications in the Championship play-off race.

The 9th-placed Robins are four points behind Rovers, who are sixth and occupying the final play-off spot.

• City have lost one of their past seven home league games against Blackburn Rovers (W4 D2 L1), winning this fixture last season 5-0 – the Robins' biggest-ever victory in this fixture's history.

• Blackburn won the reverse fixture 3-0 this season – they last did the league double over City in 2019-20, while they have never done so without conceding.

• City have won each of their past three home league games without conceding a goal. The Robins have not won four in succession at Ashton Gate whilst keeping a clean sheet in each since January 2004.

• Each of Blackburn's past six away league games have either been 1-0 (W3 D1 L2) or 1-1. They last scored more than once on the road against Cardiff in November (3-1), and last conceded more than once against Plymouth in October (1-2).

• City's Nahki Wells has scored more league goals against Blackburn in his Football League career than he has against any other opponent (9).

Aaron Wilbraham
BBC Radio Bristol summariser and former Bristol City striker

Image source, PA Media

Bristol City looked composed all over the field but it's in that final third that they need a little better decision-making and someone to be a little bit calmer and not force things.

There's still simple, quick passes that can be made to get in - and when they did that a few times against Sheffield Wednesday they got in every time.

But it's just being a little bit more consistent with those final-third entries which will create more chances to get more goals and the results.

Because of the way they play football they can beat any team in the division, definitely.

I just think it's being more consistent, and keeping the soft goals out, and defending well, and trying to get clean sheets, being a bit more resolute.

A couple more clean sheets, a few more chances put away, they can definitely climb into those play-offs. They're in a great position.

Millwall boss Alex Neil is preparing a bid for 22-year-old Wolves midfielder Luke Cundle, who has also been linked with Preston North End, Swansea City and Bristol City. (South London Press, external)

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Bristol City boss Liam Manning spoke to BBC Radio Bristol after the Robins claimed a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Sheffield Wednesday.

"I'm probably slightly frustrated," Manning said.

"First half, there wasn't much in it - we lacked a bit of belief and purpose. But, on a tough pitch, it was a fairly even first half.

"We spoke about our mindset at half-time; to play forward, run forward, and we scored a fantastic goal, and then got hit by a sucker-punch.

"But I thought we responded terrifically. There was some outstanding stuff from us on a tough pitch. I really enjoyed our second half.

"We wanted to grab an opportunity and take it to the opposition. Not many teams will dominate like we did in the second half and we could have nearly nicked it at the end.

"Ultimately, we've come away, we've taken a point and come away with something.

"I thought we became more dominant as the game wore on. We took the legs out of them. There are lots of positives to take, but things we can also work on."