Bristol City v Millwall team news: Club-record signing returns after 224-day absence

Nigel Pearson has named an unchanged Bristol City team from the week against Preston to face Millwall at Ashton Gate this afternoon.

The Robins won 2-1 against the Lilywhites on Wednesday and the 59-year-old has opted to go for what worked in midweek. Four changes were made on the night and it ended up being a winning formula thanks to Robert Atkinson’s brace.

Max O’Leary retains his place in between the sticks ahead of club captain Daniel Bentley. Zak Vyner, Timm Klose and Atkinson are the three centre-backs. Mark Sykes is on the right-flank with Joe Williams and Alex Scott in the centre.

Andi Weimann - who retains the captaincy in the absence of Bentley - is included in the side despite no goal contribution in six games. He hasn’t scored since playing Wigan Athletic away which was 12 matches ago. He is in the most advanced midfield role, providing service to the strikers.

It’s a front pairing of Antoine Semenyo and Tommy Conway who are given the go to start the match with both in search of a goal after going through a dry spell. Semenyo and Conway both haven’t scored since netting in the 3-2 defeat to Norwich City in mid-September.

Tomas Kalas is involved in a matchday squad for the first time since a 2-1 defeat to Birmingham City back in March after being named on the bench. The 29-year-old has been out of action for the last seven months and it is exactly 224 days since he played against the Blues. The Czech Republic international ended up missing the last ten matches of City’s 2021/22 season. He has missed all 14 of their Championship matches this season as well as their two Carabao Cup matches against Coventry City and Wycombe Wanderers.

Han-Noah Massengo despite travelling with the team on the coach is not involved in the match-day squad. The 21-year-old was not named in the 18-man squad in midweek and has been excluded for the second game in a row. Academy midfielder Dylan Kadji takes his place.

Bristol City (3-5-2): Max O’Leary; Zak Vyner, Timm Klose, Robert Atkinson; Mark Sykes, Joe Williams, Alex Scott, Andi Weimann; Antoine Semenyo and Tommy Conway.