Bristol City vs Wolverhampton Wanderers. Sky Bet Championship.
Ashton GateAttendance25,540.
Saturday 30 December 2017 16:33, UK
Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson will make late checks on Nathan Baker and Jamie Paterson ahead of Saturday's top-of-the-table Sky Bet Championship clash at home to Wolves, live on Sky Sports Football from 5.15pm.
Both men limped out of the Boxing Day victory over Reading with hamstring injuries and will be assessed before Johnson names his team.
The Robins boss opted for experience on Tuesday when he replaced teenagers Jonathan Leko and Lloyd Kelly with Marlon Pack and Hordur Magnusson, and he is likely to want a similar level of know-how as his second-placed side attempt to reduces Wolves' eight-point lead.
However, Pack collected his ninth booking of the season against the Royals and is facing a two-match ban if he reaches double figures before the second Sunday in March.
Wolves will check on the fitness of Ivan Cavaleiro and Willy Boly. Forward Cavaleiro and centre-half Boly came off injured during the 2-2 draw at Millwall on Boxing Day. Wanderers head coach Nuno Espirito Santo does not think the problems are serious but both players are doubtful for the trip to Ashton Gate.
The likes of Ruben Vinagre, Alfred N'Diaye, Bright Enobakhare and Leo Bonatini are options for Nuno as the Championship leaders look to extend their unbeaten run to 11 league games. mGoalkeeper Carl Ikeme has played no part this season after being diagnosed with acute leukaemia in the summer and defender Phil Ofosu-Ayeh is recovering from ankle surgery.
The Robins have won their last two home league matches against Wolves in each of the last two seasons.
Wolves haven't kept a clean sheet in their last 10 league games against the Robins.
Bristol City have taken 16 points from their last 18 available in the Championship (W5 D1); a joint-high over the last six games, alongside Leeds United (also 16).
Wolves, however, have won more points away from home than any other Championship team this season (26).
The last 12 teams to be top of the Championship on New Year's Eve have all gone on to win automatic promotion - the last team who didn't was Ipswich in 2004/05 (finished third).
Lee Johnson's side have netted 11 goals in the 81st minute or later in the Championship this season, the most of any side in the competition.
Wolves are the only Championship side with two different players that have scored 10 or more goals this term - Leo Bonatini (12) and Diogo Jota (10).
This is a second tough trip for Wolves just a few days after visiting Millwall on Boxing Day, and Bristol City will be right up for this one at Ashton Gate. It's been an incredible season so far for Lee Johnson and his players.
When these two sides met in September it was one of the games of the season as Wolves nicked a late 3-3 draw, and this should be another entertaining game. I can't split them though, score draw.
David Prutton predicts: 2-2 with Bobby Reid to score first (50/1 with Sky Bet)
