Bristol City

Image source, Getty Images

Bristol City have to "continue building" on a good run of form at home when they face Derby County on Saturday, says head coach Liam Manning.

The Robins are unbeaten in their past four games at Ashton Gate and have conceded just one goal and scored nine in that run.

They take on the Rams - who beat them 3-0 in the reverse fixture in August - following two wins and a draw in their three games over the Christmas period, picking up seven points from nine.

"We get back home on Saturday and have to continue building on what's been some good performances for us there and keep making it a hard place for teams to come," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

He said he was "disappointed" to not have taken maximum points over Christmas, following Plymouth scoring a 91st-minute equaliser on New Years' Day, but the team had to move on.

"You can't afford to carry any hangover, we haven't got time to do it and we shouldn't because we're performing well," Manning added.

Bristol City were moments away from going ninth, within three points of the play-off places, before being denied victory by Plymouth's last-gasp equaliser on Wednesday.

On Saturday (15:00 GMT) they host Derby, who slipped within five points of the relegation zone courtesy of a 4-2 thumping at Sheffield Wednesday, also on New Year's Day.

• Bristol City have won five of their past seven league meetings with Derby County (L2), though did lose the reverse fixture 3-0 back in August.

• After that 3-0 win at Pride Park, Derby County will be aiming to record a league double over Bristol City for the first time since 2015-16.

• Only Leeds United (14) and West Brom (13) kept more clean sheets at home in the Championship in 2024 than Bristol City (nine), who have won three of their past four league games at Ashton Gate without conceding.

• This is the first time both of Derby County's first two league games of a calendar year have come away from home since 2017, when they lost to both Norwich (0-3) and Leeds United (0-1).

• Derby County manager Paul Warne is unbeaten in his past eight league games managing against Bristol opposition (W7 D1).

Image source, Getty Images

Bristol City boss Liam Manning said his side's margin of victory against struggling Portsmouth should have been even greater than the 3-0 scoreline at Ashton Gate.

"We have performed really well at times [at home] and not always had the finishing touch, which I thought we did today," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"If I am being overly critical, it could have probably been another one or two on top.

"We went down there a few weeks ago and rightly so had a tough day [3-0 defeat at Fratton Park].

"There was an element of responding to that. The lads definitely did that from the start with the intensity, the aggression and the desire to go on and grab the game."

Richard Hoskin
Sports Editor, BBC Radio Bristol

Image source, Rex Features

What do City need in January?

City could use another striker to convert some of the chances they have created. Nahki Wells has developed into first-choice striker as Sinclair Armstrong and Fally Mayulu get to grips with Championship football – both players are young and Liam Manning will hope there's more to come from them.

Whether another addition is realistic given the money they invested in the pair over the summer is another matter.

What sort of business are they likely to do?

Unless City have some additional money that Steve Lansdown is willing to spend, or players depart - they won't be able to significantly strengthen their squad. There's also financial fair play to take into account.

How successful have they been in recent January windows?

Twelve months ago, Max Bird was signed from Derby, but loaned back for the rest of the season. Scott Twine was signed on loan from Burnley – and then joined on a permanent basis in the summer. Adedire Mebude was signed on loan last year, but failed to make an impression.

There are examples of City using January as an opportunity to build for the future – for example they signed highly-rated Josh Stokes 12 months ago, and also paid a fee for Bird in the new year as opposed with having to deal with more competition in free agency.

The question is are they now able or willing to sign a player or two who can make a more immediate impact on this occasion?

Are there likely to be any notable departures?

City have had a conveyor belt of young talent being sold in recent times – Antoine Semenyo, Alex Scott and Tommy Conway spring to mind.

On this occasion I'd be surprised if City lose an important first-team player unless they need to sell players to bring money in to invest back into the squad.

Harry Cornick has warmed the bench all season – I imagine it'll suit all parties if a deal with another club can be reached.

How important is the transfer window likely to be in determining the success of their season?

As things stand, City are heading for another mid-table finish. I think the consensus is they may need to gamble in the transfer market if they're to genuinely challenge the top six this season.

Bristol City welcome Portsmouth to Ashton Gate on Sunday with the visitors hoping to repeat the score line from the two teams' previous encounter.

Then, a 3-0 win on the south coast helped Pompey climb off the foot of the table, and John Mousinho's men have jumped another two places since then despite losing to Watford in the dying embers of their Boxing Day encounter.

Bristol City come into this off the back of a much-needed festive victory that snapped a four-match winless run.

• Bristol City are unbeaten in their last six home league matches against Portsmouth (W2 D4) since losing 2-0 back in 1991.

• Portsmouth are looking to win consecutive league games against Bristol City for the first time since April 1992.

• Bristol City have ended their calendar year with a goalless draw in each of the last two years, drawing 0-0 with Millwall in 2022 and 0-0 with Birmingham in 2023.

• Portsmouth have only ended their calendar year with a defeat in one of the last 11 years (W4 D6), losing 3-1 to MK Dons in 2019.

• Portsmouth have lost just two of their last 16 league games against 'City' sides (W8 D7), with those defeats coming at the hands of Stoke and Cardiff in October this season.

Bristol City welcome Luton Town, with the hosts having gone four games without a win.

The Robins have lost two and drawn two of their past four games, last winning against Plymouth on 30 November.

Luton come into the trip to Ashton Gate having won two out of the past four and are two points behind their opponents.

• Bristol City have lost two of their last 16 home league games against Luton Town (W8 D6) and won 2-0 in the most recent game at Ashton Gate in August 2022.

• Luton have won eight of their last 11 league games against Bristol City (D1 L2), although both defeats were at Ashton Gate, in 2019-20 and 2022-23.

• Bristol City won 4-1 against Watford on Boxing Day last year but haven't won on December 26 in consecutive years since doing so in 2013 (1-0 vs. Walsall) and 2014 (2-1 vs. Yeovil).

• Luton have won four of their last six league matches on Boxing Day, winning in each of the last two years against Norwich (2-1 in 2022) and Sheffield United (3-2 in 2023).

• Bristol City's Nahki Wells has scored four goals in five Championship starts against Luton, with all four goals coming on home soil (1 with QPR, 3 with Bristol City).

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City head coach Liam Manning has confirmed full-back George Tanner is available to face Luton Town on Thursday following a spell on the sidelines.

The 25-year-old was an unused substitute in the Robins' 2-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday after missing the previous eight league games through injury.

"George can do some minutes," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"Naturally, when you've been out for a little while and you come back you've got to be a little cautious but you also trust in the work that the boys do because they do a lot of conditioning work, so George will be in contention."

However, Manning remained guarded on how far away Bermuda international forward Nahki Wells is from returning to first-team action.

"Nahki's been out on the grass. Hopefully if he responds right we can get him back in the group training on Christmas Day, but again we have to see how he responds to today."

Bristol City manager Liam Manning said his side have to "collectively be better" after they were beaten 2-0 at West Bromwich Albion and dropped a place to 12th in the table.

The Robins now have just one league win in their past seven games and are without a victory in four.

"They were better than us in all areas. And we let in two soft goals," Manning told BBC Sport.

"But all of us collectively have to be better. And I look at myself in that. Did I get it right?

"They're very well organised but we lacked energy and aggression and didn't have the quality to break them down.

"And we need to respond on Boxing Day. We can't afford to drift. We need wins."

Image source, Rex Features

West Bromwich Albion have Grady Diangana back in contention to play against Bristol City on Sunday after missing six games with a calf problem.

The 26-year-old ex-West Ham United winger scored seven times last season and made eight assists as the Baggies reached the Championship play-offs.

But niggling injuries have kept him out of nine of Albion's 21 league games this season - including only six starts.

With five games in 13 days coming up over the festive period, boss Carlos Corberan knows his squad will be fully tested - and wants last season's version of Diangana back.

"Last year Grady was one of our most important players, especially in the last third, with his goal involvement" Corberan told BBC Radio WM.

"He started with a shoulder injury in pre-season and has not had the consistency he needs.

"He has trained this week. Two physical days, two football days. If his reaction is positive, touch wood, hopefully he will be ready for Sunday."

Albion must make one change on the left side as Callum Styles sustained a hamstring issue in Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Watford, but Corberan hopes Diangana's potential return can help the positive Hawthorns momentum going.

Having been top in late September, Albion have slumped to eighth, 13 points off the pace, having won just twice in 15 games - but 10 were draws. And they have at least rediscovered where the goals are at home.

After scoring just two goals in their first seven league games this season, they have now netted twice in each of their three most recent matches at The Hawthorns - 2-2 draws against both Norwich City and Sheffield United and then the fortuitous 2-0 home win over Coventry City.

Bristol City are five points behind the Baggies going into the final round of fixtures this side of Christmas and start the weekend in 11th place.

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City's squad have had a boost with injured right-back George Tanner back in full training before the busy festive period.

Tanner has not played since the start of November, while full-back Ross McCrorie is also nearing his return having not played since October because of a hamstring injury.

Scott Twine, who played 31 minutes in Saturday's draw against QPR after returning from an injury, has also been "building up".

"George Tanner's been back fully training this week, managed to get another week into Ross as well, Twiney is building up so it's been good to be able to get out on the grass and get some work into the lads," manager Liam Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"It's been much better to have those boys back training.

"We're going to need everybody. You need the depth you need to make the changes, you need the options - we saw in the last week how important it is to freshen things up."

However, Sinclair Armstrong will be out for another "couple of weeks" with a hamstring injury that ruled him out of last Saturday's game.

"Nothing major but when you've got such an explosive athlete you have to be careful," Manning said.

After seeing their dozen-match unbeaten streak ended with defeat at Watford last Sunday, West Brom will seek to start a new one when Bristol City visit The Hawthorns this Sunday.

The Baggies could find themselves five points adrift of the play-off places come kick-off while the Robins start the weekend eight places but only five points ahead of 19th-placed Luton.

• West Brom have lost just one of their past eight league games against Bristol City (W5 D2), with each of those five victories coming via a two-goal margin or more.

• Bristol City have lost seven of their past nine away league games against West Brom (W1 D1), conceding an average of 2.7 goals per match across that time.

• West Brom have scored just eight goals across their 10 home league games in the Championship so far this season – the fewest of any side in the competition.

• Bristol City have failed to win any of their last three league games (D2 L1) and could go four without victory for the first time since March 2024 when they lost four matches in succession.

• West Brom's Tom Fellows has recorded seven assists in the Championship so far this season, with only Middlesbrough's Finn Azaz (8) managing more in the competition.

Chris Honor
BBC Radio Bristol summariser and former Bristol City defender

Image source, Rex Features

I'm enjoying some of the football, I thought we were excellent first half against QPR, but, the big question, are Bristol City going to go out and buy a centre forward in the January transfer window? For me they have to.

They have Nahki Wells, who was second pick last year behind Tommy Conway who has now gone. They have gone out and bought two strikers but they are not up to the standard they were possibly expecting.

If we want to progress we need another centre forward, though whether the funds are there I don't know.

We are playing some great football; entertaining, exciting, but in front of goal we miss that clinical edge and we need someone who can score 15, 16, 17 goals a season to take the next step on.

(The QPR goal) was one of those headless blunders which goalkeepers sometimes used to do - come rushing out of goal, completely mis-read his position.

To be fair to Max O'Leary, he shouldn't have been put in that position in the first place. Bristol City were on the counter attack, they've left nobody back, the ball has been cleared into the City half.

Max think he's going to get there first, rushes out, the QPR player gets there first and manages to get the ball into the back of the net from 50 yards.

It was a great finish. It seemed to take an absolute age to hit the back of the net.

Image source, Getty Images

Bristol City striker Fally Mayulu is going to be "important" for the club in the future even though it has "taken him time" to adapt to the Championship, said head coach Liam Manning.

The 22-year-old Frenchman signed this summer from Austrian side Rapid Vienna and has made 11 appearances in the league, scoring two goals in his first two games.

He played just 29 minutes in the past eight games and was an unused substitute in five of them.

"I think it's a big jump up, the intensity of the league. You switch off for a second in the Championship, you're talking two or three metres," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"It's taking a little bit of time. He's massively training better now so he's definitely heading in the right direction."

Manning said the coaching staff have been working with Mayulu on the "psychological" aspect of the game.

"It's thinking quicker, it's seeing the pictures quicker, it's having the composure under pressure. I know the technical stuff is in there," he said.

"I know he won't have the minutes he wants now but I know he's going to be important for us in the future."