Bristol Cityvs.Huddersfield

With four games left to play in England's second tier, the visitors only lead the relegation zone on goal difference, while their hosts have climbed into the top half with an impressive run of form.

Match preview

Bristol City will play the second of a quickfire pair of games at Ashton Gate on Saturday, as they aim to continue a pleasing run at the back end of the Championship season.

The Robins find themselves in a strong position in the fight for a top-half finish in England's second tier with just four games left to play, having bounced back from a dismal six-match run between mid-February and mid-March which produced a single victory alongside five defeats.

Indeed, Liam Manning's side have succeeded in putting that rut behind them and now head into the weekend in the midst of a four-match unbeaten streak in England's second tier, Firstly seeing off league leaders Leicester City and strugglers Plymouth Argyle in 1-0 wins before sharing the spoils in a goalless draw away at Sunderland on Saturday.

Aiming to return to winning ways and continue their impressive run, the Robins most recently hosted Blackburn Rovers on Saturday and prevailed in a statement 5-0 triumph, having gone 2-0 ahead through Tommy Conway's first-half brace, before Anis Mehmeti scored a third and Nakhi Wells added a double of his own in the final 15 minutes.

Having now climbed up to 12th spot thanks to their recent improvement, with a four-point lead over 13th-placed Sunderland and just a two-point gap up to Cardiff City with four games left to play, Bristol City will set out to further strengthen their standing and carry their pleasing run of form into the end of the season with a fourth straight home win at the weekend.

In their way stand a visiting side who head into the meeting with much more to fight for in the Championship's final run-in, having dropped closer to the relegation zone in midweek.

Indeed, Huddersfield Town travel to Ashton Gate in somewhat of a desperate position in the fight to maintain their second-tier status this term, currently sitting 21st having only collected 43 points from their 42 games thus far.

Under the tutelage of Andre Breitenreiter since mid-February, the Terriers went on to endure a dismal run and drop into the bottom three, picking up three draws alongside three defeats in a six-match span between early March and the beginning of April, before jumping back out with a crucial victory in a true six-pointer at the weekend, as they welcomed Millwall to the John Smith's Stadium and prevailed in a 1-0 win thanks to Rhys Healey's decisive goal deep into injury time.

Aiming to build on that result and extend a cushion ahead of the final games this term, the Yorkshire outfit most recently faced a tough trip to Preston North End on Tuesday, and after taking a lead into the interval thanks to Josh Koroma's 42nd-minute goal, they were unable to stand strong in the second half, eventually succumbing to a 4-1 beating as Will Keane levelled the scores before Milutin Osmajic netted a hat-trick in the final 10 minutes.

Now only leading 22nd-placed Sheffield Wednesday on goal difference and 23rd-placed Birmingham City by a single point with 12 left to play for in the fight for Championship survival, Huddersfield Town find their second-tier status in real jeopardy and will bid to start moving clear of the bottom three in the final four games starting with what would be a crucial away win at the weekend.

Bristol City Championship form:

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Huddersfield Town Championship form:

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Team News

Bristol City have several injuries to contend with heading into Saturday's contest, as Rob Dickie, Rob Atkinson, Kal Naismith, Taylor Gardner-Hickman, Ayman Benarous and Sam Bell are all set to remain confined to the treatment room.

Liam Manning is unlikely to make many changes from their resounding display and 5-0 win against Blackburn on Wednesday, although Nakhi Wells and Anis Mehmeti will both push to come into the attack from the outset, having scored a brace and a goal off the bench respectively in that game.

Tommy Conway will continue to lead the line after taking his tally to nine league goals for the season with his own double in midweek, while Joe Williams and Jason Knight should again partner up in the engine room in front of Haydon Roberts, Zak Vyner and George Tanner in a makeshift back three.

Like their hosts, Huddersfield Town also continue to contend with a long list of enforced absentees on Saturday, with Radinio Balker, Tom Lees, Josh Ruffels, Jonathan Hogg, Jack Rudoni and Yuta Nakayama all bound to remain sidelined.

Andre Breitenreiter will likely shuffle his pack somewhat after their midweek defeat, and Bojan Radulovic, Rhys Healey and Danny Ward will all compete to come into the attack from the start after Delano Burgzorg led the line at Deepdale.

Sorba Thomas and Josh Koroma should continue to operate on the wings, while Ben Wiles, David Kasumu and Alex Matos may again line up in a midfield trio in the absence of Hogg and Rudoni.

Bristol City possible starting lineup:

O'Leary; Tanner, Vyner, Roberts; McCrorie, Williams, Knight, Pring; Mehmeti, Conway, Wells

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Nicholls; Spencer, Pearson, Helik, Jackson; Thomas, Matos, Wiles, Kasumu, Koroma; Radulovic

We say: Bristol City 2-1 Huddersfield Town

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