Bristol City team news: Nigel Pearson makes three changes as key man absent

Nigel Pearson has handed George Tanner a first league start of the season as Bristol City make three changes for their Anglo-Welsh derby against Swansea City on Saturday.

Tanner is poised to make just his third appearance of the campaign, after coming on as a substitute for the Robins’ 3-0 drumming to Birmingham City earlier this month.

Timm Klose makes way for the 22-year-old, as Zak Vyner and Cameron Pring complete the back three, the latter was a late change as Rob Atkinson pulled out of the match due to illness in the warm up. Max O’Leary is preferred to club captain Daniel Bentley.

Mark Sykes and Jay Dasilva occupy the wing-back positions, while Alex Scott and Matty James are selected in the middle of the park.

Bentley’s absence means the captaincy is taken up by James, who has now worn the armband in the Robins’ last three matches following his return from injury.

Tommy Conway comes in Joe Williams, as Nahki Wells and Antoine Semenyo complete the front three. The trio up top points to a potentially different shape, rather than playing with a man behind the front two, the Robins may switch to a flat three with just one central striker.

Andi Weimann is a surprise omission from the squad, the Austrian however did travel on the team bus so will play a supporting role from the sideline.

20-year-old Sam Bell is called up to the substitutes bench, while Joe Low is promoted to the bench following Atkinson’s late withdrawal.

Bristol City (3-5-2): O’Leary, Tanner, Vyner, Pring, Sykes, Scott, James, Dasilva, Conway, Wells, Semenyo.