Bristol City welcome Cardiff City to Ashton Gate for the second Severnside Derby clash of the season in the EFL Championship.
The Robins are seeking revenge on the Bluebirds who defeated them 2-0 at the end of October. Perry Ng and Rubin Colwill were on target for the Welsh side and the defeat ended up costing Nigel Pearson his job as just a day later his departure from the Gate would be announced.
Liam Manning is now tested with his first taste of a Severnside Derby, and wants a response from his players. Bristol City last week lost 2-1 to relegation threatened Sheffield Wednesday, despite having a man advantage for the final 15 minutes after Di'Shon Bernard's red card.
The Championship standings have Bristol City smack back in the middle in 12th with 44 points on the board. They are ahead of Cardiff City on the virtue of goal difference, having conceded nine goals fewer. Middlesbrough and Watford are both on 44 points too and a victory against Cardiff would perhaps lift them over the Hornets should there be a large margin of victory and putt hem level with Sunderland. City are 11 points off of the play-offs and nine points clear of the nearest relegation spot.
Saturday's clash should muster up a winner as in the last 14 league meetings between the two sides, there has been a victor with eight wins for Cardiff and six for Bristol City. Bristol City have won the last two home matches at the Gate against Cardiff, but have picked up just four points in their last five home league matches.
Bristol City are second when it comes to the most goals Karlan Grant has scored against an opponent but he is likely to be unavailable to Erol Bulut after sustaining an injury against Stoke City. Here's the latest injury and team news ahead of the Severnside Derby in the Sky Bet Championship, which kicks off at 12.30 pm on Saturday.
17. Mark McGuinness - out (continued)
"Right now, Mark McGuinness is training with our performance coaches," said Erol Bulut on February 29. "I think he will need a bit of time. Maybe after the international break, he will be with us." | Getty Images
18. Rob Atkinson - out
Ruled out for the remainder of the season. Photo: Clive Mason
19. Karlan Grant - out
Substituted off in Cardiff's 2-1 win over Stoke City last weekend. | Getty Images
20. Karlan Grant - out (continued)
"He had a strain. A grade two," Bulut said on February 29. "Tomorrow there will be a test with him. But I think he cannot be with us on Saturday. "But with KG you never know. Sometimes you say he cannot (play) and then on a Saturday, he will be on the field! This can happen, too. We have to check tomorrow." | Getty Images