Bristol City

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.

Image source, PA Media

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."

Image source, Getty Images

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.

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."

Image source, Rex Features

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

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

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.