Bristol City v Middlesbrough preview: Championship clash live on Sky Sports Football
Saturday 2 December 2017 16:30, UK
Bristol City are without Callum O'Dowda for their home game with Middlesbrough in the Sky Bet Championship, live on Sky Sports Football from 5.15pm on Saturday.
The Republic of Ireland winger is set for a spell on the sidelines after ankle surgery. O'Dowda joins Famara Diedhiou (knee), Eros Pisano (hamstring), Jens Hegeler (knee) and Gary O'Neil (knee) on the casualty list. The good news for City is that Joe Bryan has been passed fit after missing last weekend's win at Hull with a hip problem.
Boro boss Garry Monk will be without central defender Daniel Ayala through suspension. Ayala was dismissed for a second bookable offence during last weekend's 3-0 home defeat by Derby and will sit out as a result with Dael Fry the most likely candidate to replace him.
However, Monk will welcome back Jonny Howson from his one-match ban with the midfielder having served his punishment for reaching five bookings for the season against the Rams, and he could once again be partnered by Grant Leadbitter, who was an unused substitute. They could be joined in the matchday squad by striker Rudy Gestede for the first time since August following his return to action for the under-23s after his recovery from a long-standing thigh injury.
Opta stats
Bristol City have won their last four league meetings with Middlesbrough, with all wins coming in the 2012/13 and 2015/16 seasons.
Middlesbrough haven't scored a single goal in any of their last three league games against the Robins - Ishmael Miller was the last Boro player to find the net, doing so in a 3-1 defeat in November 2012.
The Robins have lost two of their last three league matches at Ashton Gate, as many as they'd lost in their previous 16.
Live EFL
Britt Assombalonga scored a brace in his only previous league visit to Ashton Gate, with his two goals helping Peterborough to a 3-0 win in September 2013.
Assombalonga has found the net in each of his last four away league appearances (four goals) - the last player to score in five consecutive away Championship appearances was Rudy Gestede in December 2014 for Blackburn Rovers.
Bristol City have lost five fewer games after 19 matches this season (3) than they had last season (8).
Prutton's prediction
Every time you think Middlesbrough have got themselves going, they have another setback, and their 3-0 loss at home to Derby last week was absolutely disastrous for them.
Garry Monk's side are on the verge of the play-offs, but Boro's ambition was automatic promotion at the start of the season so that isn't good enough for them. Bristol City have been excellent this season and I fancy a home win here.
David Prutton predicts: 2-1 with Bobby Reid to score first (25/1 with Sky Bet)
