MATCH THREAD: “ BRISTOL CITY v CARDIFF CITY “ MATCH THREAD

According to the official EFL site Saturday’s referee is Stuart Attwell

UPDATED TEAM NEWS:


Meite fit.

McGuinness still with physio.

O’Dowda will be in the squad v Bristol City.

Alnwick is ok again

Callum Robinson 10 more days.

Ramsey hopefully April fully back playing.


Grant will have a late fitness test.

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Scott Twine, Ayman Benarous, Kal Naismith: Bristol City injury latest ahead of Cardiff City
Bristol City head coach Liam Manning revealed good, bad and encouraging news on the injury front before the Severnside Derby

Kal Naismith is set to be included in a Bristol City matchday squad for the first time in three months but the Robins remain without the services of Scott Twine as the playmaker continues to be troubled by a quad injury.

Naismith left the field in the 1-0 defeat at Southampton on November 29 with a hamstring injury, but after making an appearance for the Under-21 earlier this month has trained all week at the High Performance Centre and provided he comes through Friday’s session okay, will be in contention to be involved against Cardiff City on Saturday.

It seems unlikely the Scot will immediately be forced into the starting XI given Rob Dickie and Zak Vyner’s well-established partnership at the heart of defence, while George Tanner provides the additional option should head coach Liam Manning elect to play three at the back.

But he does provide depth in the position and a natural left-sided presence, while he could also be considered in a midfield capacity if needed. That could be of relevance should Matty James not be given the green light to play.

James missed last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday with a minor injury and although the midfielder had a reduced training session on Thursday, he was still in a degree of pain throwing his involvement on the weekend into doubt.

Twine will miss out altogether as the quad injury he sustained on his debut against Watford on January 20 continues to hold him back and Manning has been without the playmaker for six league games now, which has proven to be a deeply frustrating scenario for all concerned.

One positive on the injury front has been the return to training of Ayman Benarous with the young midfielder having experienced nearly two years of injury misery following two ACLs and then hamstring issues since the autumn which have delayed his intended comeback.

Liam Manning's not for turning as Bristol City prepare for emotional Severnside rollercoaster -

Bristol City are out to respond at Ashton Gate after back-to-back defeats prompted questions of the head coach

The Severnside Derby represents a number of tests for Liam Manning and Bristol City. There are the obvious nerves around the occasion and the expectation on the team to win the game against opposition Robins fans naturally would consider inferior (as would be the same from the other side).

Beyond that is the challenge of taking on another low possession side - 19th overall in the Championship - as not only will City need to have learned from uncomfortable experiences against QPR and Sheffield Wednesday, but those matches have potentially handed Erol Bulut a blueprint of sorts in emerging victorious in BS3 and therefore will need to be countered accordingly.

But overall the biggest test could be Manning’s concept of what emotion is; as a positive and negative. The head coach this week was keen to maintain the message that despite the violent swings in results over the last three weeks - two wins full of elation and optimism, followed by two pretty miserable defeats - everyone needs to drown out the noise and remain on an even keel.

At the same time, the Robins will need to harness such intangibles to get the crowd behind them and hopefully secure the three points that can heal some of the wounds that have either opened up or re-emerged in light of back-to-back losses.

Bristol City will be without Sam Bell after he picked up a leg injury during the club's FA Cup game with Nottingham Forest. Rob Atkinson is a long-term absentee and will miss this one, too, owing to a cruciate ligament injury.

Betting Odds:

Bristol City v Cardiff City


Bristol City to Win 1/1


Draw 5/2


Cardiff City 18/5

We must go at them, no sitting back and showing them respect go for them early doors

1-2 To The Blooobirds (Etete Phillips) to send the City faithful home ecstatic

Come on city go at them let's get a win get a run going !

Come on City

Here we go !!!

Ng with a terrible touch but recovered the ball well

I am way behind here

bristol pushing we have not started much forward impidus yet

Managers got to stop watching Pep video's this lot can't move a team through clever incisive passing. Just asking for trouble

another crap ref no foul given

ref gives us a handball

Very scrappy start

Not much in this. Both teams are very inconsistent at the moment.

City not doing much at the moment

Turbull was shocking then if he drove forward we had a chance for a shot or pass awfull

another crap ref no foul given

What, for the blatant dive.... This ref has had us a few times and he knows that Etete has stability issues

Pressing looks fine, but as usual, possession is an issue.

Need better off-ball movement and create spaces for passes.

Etete booked

etete booked good foul

15 mins and not much to report.

Turbull was shocking then if he drove forward we had a chance for a shot or pass awfull

He has been playing Ange ball, i think he was expecting the striking to want it in space....He should have driven on as we don't have forwards

bristol corner

19 mins corner to the Wurzels causing panic in the area. End play goes out for another comer.