Bristol City predicted line-up vs QPR: One change made as Liam Manning makes bold midfield call

Bristol City are sat in 5th place in the Championship table. They are inside the play-offs with Sheffield United, Sunderland and Coventry City. The Robins are three points inside the top six with only five fixtures left to play this season with their fans dreaming of promotion to the Premier League.

Liam Manning’s side won 2-1 at home to West Brom last time out. Defender Haydon Roberts scored a last-gasp winner for them against the Baggies at Ashton Gate as they secured a vital three points in their quest to go up. They are back in action this weekend with an away trip to QPR as they aim to keep their momentum going.

Bristol City goalkeeper and defensive options

Bristol City’s number one Max O’Leary has made 41 league appearances in all competitions so far in this campaign. He has made the number one spot his own and will be eager to keep QPR at bay. The stopper is back up on the bench by Stefan Bajic.

Manning doesn’t need to make wholesale changes at the back. He has gone for the same pool of five players over recent weeks. This consistency has helped his team grind out results and keep their form going.

Zak Vyner, Rob Dickie, Cameron Pring, Ross McCrorie and Mark Sykes are all likely to get the nod once again here against the Hoops. The quartet have enjoyed regular game time together this term. The latter two like to get up and down the pitch and give the Robins more options going forward when they attack. Sykes penned an extension to his contract earlier this year.

Bristol City midfield and attack

Bristol City have the chance to freshen up their team going forward. They have a lot of fixtures coming up quickly now over the Easter period and won’t want to get any injuries. With this in mind, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them mix it up a bit.

Joe Williams could come back into the starting XI to add more energy and experience into the middle of the park. He has played over 250 games in his career to date following spells in the past at both Everton and Wigan Athletic. The Liverpudlian came off the bench against West Brom for Marcus McGuane.

Max Bird and Jason Knight are two players in midfield who Manning trusts. They both joined their current club from Derby County and have become key players. Knight in particular has played 42 matches this season and has found the net on two occasions.

George Earthy has a bright future in the game and will look to cause QPR some issues. Bristol City have a nice blend of youth and experience going forward. Nahki Wells, 34, usually leads the line and has found the net on 10 occasions this term.

Manning has other players to pick from too including top scorer Anis Mehmeti, Sinclair Armstrong and Sam Bell if needed. The combination of Earthy and Wells has been working well recently though. Their upcoming opponents won 3-1 win away at Oxford United in their last outing.

Bristol City prediction XI vs QPR: O’Leary; Vyner, Dickie, Pring, McCrorie, Sykes; Bird, Williams, Knight; Earthy, Wells