Preview: Bristol City vs. Preston North End - prediction, team news, lineups

Bristol City and Preston North End meet at Ashton Gate on Saturday afternoon having both enjoyed an improved run of form in the Championship.

While the Robins head into this fixture on the back of two wins in three, Preston make the trip South having posted two victories in succession.

Match preview

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With Bristol City continuing on a downward trajectory during the opening two weeks of the season, Nigel Pearson may have had concerns regarding the mentality of his squad.

However, thrilling away wins at Reading and Cardiff City have ended those thoughts, this group of players now competing like the playoffs should be regarded as a realistic target.

The victory in South Wales proved to be a battle, the type that Pearson savoured during his playing days, and it would have shown him everything that he needed to see from his squad.

The return of form of Andreas Weimann has proven decisive, the Austrian netting doubles in the triumphs over the Royals and Bluebirds.

With a home fixture against Luton Town to follow Saturday's encounter, there is now a window of opportunity for Bristol City to make quick headway up the table.

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Preston manager Frankie McAvoy will have other ideas after witnessing his team register back-to-back successes over Peterborough United and Swansea City.

While neither of those opponents have enjoyed a fast start to the campaign, McAvoy will feel that his players have upped their level with the stakes having been raised considerably.

The success against Swansea came after going a goal behind, Emil Riis Jakobsen getting among the scorers with his second league strike of the season.

As many as nine different players have now chipped in with a goal or assist, a statistic which will fill McAvoy with belief regarding his team's chances going forward.

Team News

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Barring any late fitness issues, Pearson will likely stick with the Bristol City XI which started at Cardiff.

Much will depend on whether Pearson wishes to introduce a more attack-minded player on the right, rather than using central midfielder Han-Noah Massengo.

Alex Scott and Antoine Semenyo are both alternatives if an alteration is made on that side of the pitch.

McAvoy will also feel comfortable with making no changes to his Preston XI, leaving the likes of Brad Potts and Scott Sinclair on the substitutes' bench.

Josh Murphy, who has signed on loan from Cardiff City, is expected to take his place among the replacements.

Bristol City possible starting lineup:
Bentley; Vyner, Kalas, Atkinson, Baker; Scott, James, King, Pring; Weimann, Martin

Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Iversen; Storey, Bauer, Hughes; Van den Berg, Whiteman, Ledson, Earl; Johnson; Maguire, Jakobsen

We say: Bristol City 1-1 Preston North End

Having gotten back on track before the international break, neither side will want to relinquish their momentum. With that in mind, we expect a hard-fought fixture, one which could end in a share of the spoils.