Bristol City

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New Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber has empowered the players to express themselves, says defender Zak Vyner.

The Robins are unbeaten under their Austrian coach with four points from a possible six in the Championship along with an EFL Cup victory over MK Dons.

"He's given the lads a bit more freedom to express themselves and he wants us to be high-press but not gung-ho," Vyner told BBC Radio Bristol.

"He empowers us to go out and play our game with his style and imprint on it and three games in, there have been some good performances."

Struber replaced Liam Manning in June and a 4-1 opening day win at Sheffield United was followed by a goalless draw against Charlton on Saturday.

Vyner, 28, says the head coach is proving to be an infectious character.

"The gaffer's a very enthusiastic guy and that makes you want to run that bit harder and gives you that big push to give everything," he added.

"Everyone steps onto the pitch wanting to give everything but when you have that encouragement from the side and he shows that kind of passion, it's good to have."

Bristol City visit Derby County in the Championship on Friday, 22 August (20:00 BST)

Andy Stevenson
Final Score reporter

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Anis Mehmeti, born in London but an Albanian international, is approaching 100 Championship appearances for Bristol City since signing for them in January 2023.

The 24-year-old scored in the stunning 4-1 win at Sheffield United on the opening weekend and is a key member of the team.

Against Charlton, he was the most exciting player on the pitch, consistently at the centre of City's attacks.

He had a first half shot go narrowly wide and then clipped the angle of post and crossbar with an effort in the second.

On Saturday, he must have had Robins fans tearing their hair out at his lack of final product. But on days where everything clicks, he looks more than capable of dominating games this season.

Image source, Getty Images

Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber said that his side "can improve" after a draw against Charlton on Saturday.

Neither side was able to break the deadlock in the match but the best chance of the match fell to City's Anis Mehmeti who hit the woodwork in the second half with a well-struck effort.

"We expected a really difficult game, it was a 50-50 game in the end and this is not what we wanted," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"We can improve and we have some good learning points from this, the opponent played very direct with lots of long balls today.

"In the end it is a point that we take with the clean sheet, our behaviour in defence is on a very good level at the moment."

Both Bristol City and Charlton Athletic had much to celebrate after their opening Championship games as they prepare to meet at Ashton Gate on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Robins began their campaign with a stunning 4-1 victory at Sheffield United and will hope to bring the party to their first home game of the season.

Meanwhile, promoted Charlton began life in the Championship with a 1-0 win over Watford.

• Bristol City beat Charlton Athletic 2-1 the last time this exact fixture was played in October 2019 and will be looking for successive victories over the Addicks at Ashton Gate for the first time since October 1975.

• Bristol City have won their opening home game in just two of the last seven league seasons (D3 L2). However, following their 4-1 win at Sheffield United on MD1, they could start a league campaign with back-to-back victories for the first time since 2020-21.

• Following their 1-0 win at Watford on MD1, Charlton will be looking to start consecutive league campaigns with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2009-10 to 2011-12 (all in League One).

• In this match, Charlton will be looking to claim their first away victory in the Championship since a 1-0 success against Hull City in June 2020.

• On MD1, Bristol City's Scott Twine recorded two goals and an assist against Sheffield United; the first time he's recorded three goal contributions in a Championship match and the fourth time in his overall EFL career.

Bristol City boss Gerhard Struber said he has no intention of letting right-back Ross McCrorie leave the Championship club this summer.

Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol after his side's 2-0 Carabao Cup victory over MK Dons, the Austrian confirmed that he knows "nothing" about a potential move for the Scotland international despite links with Italian club Udinese.

"Ross is super important for us," Struber said.

"Never. Never would I let him go. Never."

McCrorie scored the second goal during the Robins 4-1 victory over Sheffield United on Saturday.

Listen to the full post-match interview with Struber and more on BBC Sounds.

Adam Cottier
BBC Sport at Bramall Lane

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Saturday's 4-1 win at Sheffield United was by some margin an impressive start for Gerhard Struber.

There were many standout individual performances and perhaps what was on show was an indication of the 'proactive' style the new head coach desires.

It was even more impressive given the players the Austrian was unable to select at Bramall Lane.

Max O'Leary has been a mainstay in the Bristol City team for the past two seasons, but injury means the goalkeeper will be missing for a while.

Step forward Radek Vitek, selected ahead of fellow new signing Joe Lumley to start in goal, and his Championship debut could hardly have gone any better.

Vitek played 18 league games in a loan spell at Accrington Stanley in 2024, and before Saturday, they were his only senior appearances in English football.

The 21-year-old Czech was loaned by his parent club Manchester United again last season as he gained more experience playing in the Austrian top flight.

But it was in the early evening sunshine in Sheffield where Vitek appeared to come of age. A commanding figure in his area, he repaid Struber's faith with an eye-catching display.

With his side leading 2-1 he made a fine one-handed save to deny Sheffield United's Louie Barry, thwarting Sydie Peck too before the break.

They felt at the time like significant moments and so it proved as Bristol City moved out of sight with the two goals they scored in a rampaging start to the second half, spearheaded by the main protagonist in their attack, Scott Twine.

But even at 4-1 with Struber's tactical plan being played almost to perfection in front of him, Vitek was still alert to make smart interventions on the occasions home side had sight of his goal.

One late save in particular - keeping out a point-blank range Peck header - had the Bristol City fans chanting his name even louder.

Vitek was encouraged to be front and centre of the post-match celebrations, waving his arms with glee in front of the travelling support. He'd earned such acclaim with a promising debut on a red-letter day for Bristol City and their red-cap-wearing new head coach.

David Pottier
Fan writer

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City returned to Bramall Lane, the ground where their play-off hopes were crushed in May, and pulled off the result of the day as the new season got under way.

So emphatic was Sheffield United's dominance over the two-legged play-off semi-final that many City fans, me included, saw this as a free hit for new coach Gerhard Struber's first competitive game in charge.

A point would have been seen as a fabulous result but to run out 4-1 winners is right up there amongst the best opening day results City have ever had.

Although it might be overstating it by some to suggest it was on a par with beating Arsenal 1-0 at Highbury in 1976 in the club's first fixture in the top flight after a 65 year absence.

There was little sorrow amongst the Ashton Gate faithful when Liam Manning left to join Norwich where he has been spending money like confetti – doubtless those funds, compared with the tight budgets at Bristol City, was the attraction.

Little was known of Struber but his appointment seemed to unite the fanbase unlike when Manning had come in for Nigel Pearson.

Front-foot attacking football is what the fans have been craving and Manning certainly didn't deliver that with his possession-based style, even though it delivered play-off participation for the first time in 17 years.

There was enough evidence in friendlies against Plymouth and Real Valladolid to suggest that Struber's approach will be markedly different and so it proved at Bramall Lane.

City played with an air of fearlessness against their opponents, themselves under the guidance of new coach Ruben Selles, and took the lead with a typical long range free kick from Scott Twine.

In this game he looked like a player worth the £3.7m City paid for him and went on to provide an assist for the well-crafted goal that put the visitors in front after the Blades had equalised, then grabbed the fourth goal that put City in total control with only 50 minutes on the clock.

Was this a one-off or the shape of things to come?

We shall see in the coming weeks, but without spending big City have that all important "new" spine to their side with Man Utd loanee keeper Radek Vitek, whose debut saves and all round command of his box earned him man of the match.

Emil Riis will lead the line in a way City have needed for a very long time and Rob Atkinson in defence is like a new signing after more than two years of injury.

Find more from David Pottier at the Forever Bristol City Podcast., external

Gary Owers
Former Bristol City player and BBC Radio Bristol summariser

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Scott Twine played in a central position and had defensive responsibilities, and we've seen him get involved in a couple of duels in the middle of the pitch and come out on top, nick a couple of balls.

He was destructive in attack. The free-kick was class. We know that he's got it in his locker but to execute that, you almost had the feeling when they got the free-kick that he was going to score from it and he didn't disappoint.

He was influential again in attacking manoeuvres and he got a bit of luck with the deflected shot that went past the goalkeeper.

Two goals for him and it gives him a lot of confidence to take forward into the season.

Ross McCrorie probably had a lot of talent that we didn't see [last season]. He was so unlucky to pick up the injury that kept him out for such a long time.

He's certainly reaping the rewards now. He's versatile, we know he can play on the left, he's good in the air, defensively he's solid and he's having goals which are all bonuses.

Anis Mehmeti was a constant thorn in the side of Sheffield United. But City came out of the traps really sharply in the second half, winning the ball high up the pitch and then when that cross came in from the right-hand side, he was in the right place at the right time. Nice to see him get off the mark early in the season.

Emil Riis gives them a different dimension. They've got a focal point now, they've got someone to aim for, they've got someone that can pin defenders and make it difficult and can pick up second balls.

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Bristol City midfielder Scott Twine says the team were "clinical" in their 4-1 win against Sheffield United but they are not thinking too far ahead after only one game in the Championship.

Twine scored twice - including a direct free-kick in the fifth minute - and provided assists in more goals during the win at Bramall Lane.

"It's always a little bit nerve-wracking going into the first game, the unknown, seeing if the hard work in pre-season pays off and thankfully it all did," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"We've done the basics really well and we were clinical.

"It's definitely a good win for us and it's fully deserved. We have self-confidence, we know as a team how good we can be but we're not thinking too far ahead at the minute."

Twine scored six goals in all competitions last season after making his move from Burnley permanent and said he was not "at his best at times" during the campaign.

"I'm hoping to improve that, I've worked hard in the off-season, I'm really enjoying it and hopefully that comes out on the pitch this year," he said.

Bristol City head coach Gerhard Struber has hailed his side after their 4-1 win over Sheffield United.

Scott Twine scored twice and had a hand in the other two goals, as the Robins gained revenge for their play-off semi-final defeat at the hands on the Blades 89 days ago.

"We did many things in the right way today," Struber told BBC Radio Bristol.

"Our pressing worked most of the time - we had a little bit of a gap in the first half for 15 to 20 minutes.

"But we changed our trigger moments a little bit and how we press, especially in the second half, and this worked much better.

"We are so clean in our transitions, so sharp and also the finishing was on a very great level today.

"We are very happy with the performance and of course with the result."

Sheffield United and Bristol City will be debuting their new bosses on Saturday's late afternoon game (17:30 BST) to ring in their new Championship season.

For the Robins, Austrian Gerhard Struber will be hoping to take the mantle on from former boss Liam Manning and set Bristol City up for another promotion fight with a huge win over the side that gave them a 6-0 drubbing in the play-off semi-finals.

While Blades boss Ruben Selles will need to prove he's up to scratch in front of a home crowd after he replaced the much-loved Chris Wilder.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten across their last six league games against Bristol City (W4 D2), with each of their last three wins coming via a one-goal margin.

• Three of Bristol City's last four league wins against Sheffield United have come at Bramall Lane, with the Robins scoring 2+ goals in each of those victories.

• Sheffield United have lost on each of the last four occasions their first league game of the season has come at home, failing to score in each of the last three.

• Bristol City have won their opening league game in just one of the last seven seasons (D4 L2), beating Coventry 2-1 at home in 2020-21.

• Bristol City have won just one of their last 15 away league games (D7 L7), beating Millwall 2-0 back in March.

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Bristol City captain Jason Knight says the new style of play implemented by head coach Gerhard Struber will suit the squad.

Struber wants to bring in a more aggressive, attacking-minded style this season, since being appointed in June.

"I think we've definitely got the squad for it - we've got a young, hungry group that want to be aggressive, on the front foot and hopefully the fans will see that and the results will back it up," Knight told BBC Radio Bristol.

"Hopefully it can improve me and bring out the best in me - but that's down to me performing as well."

Midfielder Knight led the Robins to the play-offs last season for the first time in 17 years and he said the team need to aim as high again this campaign.

"You want to keep building, there's no point standing still - we've got to go again, push on more this season and that's what we're going to try and do," Knight said.

"We're ambitious players, we're ambitious as a club and we've got to reflect that on the pitch as well.

"We've got to back that up and demand a standard of ourselves in the squad that we go again and push for that same level of success and go for more."