Preview: Bristol City vs. Derby County - prediction, team news, lineups

Derby County make the trip to Ashton Gate to face Bristol City having dropped 19 points adrift of safety in the Championship standings.

However, the Rams will move to within 19 points of Saturday's opponents with a win, Bristol City currently occupying 18th position in the table.

Match preview

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Derby have been nothing short of sensational in recent games, bouncing back from another points deduction by taking four points from Bournemouth and Fulham.

However, losing to Queens Park Rangers on Monday night, after initially being in front, hurts Wayne Rooney and his squad, and it emphasises the size of the task currently in front of them.

Despite collecting five points from four games, County have fallen further behind in their battle to stay in the second tier with 26 matches now remaining.

While Rooney will be delighted with the level of performance, results are all that matter now, and the Rams must travel to the South-West going all out for three points.

Tom Lawrence has shown that he is capable of delivering in the final third over the past five games, contributing three goals and two assists.

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For Bristol City, they welcome another opportunity to extend their recent improvement at Ashton Gate, a three-match unbeaten streak being put together after nine months without success.

Nevertheless, their 2-0 loss at Sheffield United on Sunday made it seven defeats from 11 matches, leaving the Robins seven points above the relegation zone.

Bristol City should have too much quality to ever become embroiled in a battle to avoid the drop, but Nigel Pearson is aware that remaining in the bottom half of the table over the coming months will keep his job at risk.

Pearson can at least take positives from the last two home fixtures, Bristol City following a 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers with a fine 1-0 triumph over fellow playoff contenders Stoke City.

Team News

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Rob Atkinson will return to the Bristol City XI to take the place of Nathan Baker, who will miss out on Saturday with a head injury.

With the likes of Matty James, Andy King and Joe Williams still on the sidelines, Pearson may not be in a position to make too many other alterations.

Nahki Wells may potentially come into the attack, a move which would allow Andreas Weimann to occupy a deeper role.

Rooney could make a couple of changes to his Derby starting lineup, handing recalls to Festy Ebosele and Colin Kazim-Richards.

Jason Knight and Ravel Morrison are the players most likely to drop out of the side, but Lee Buchanan and Sam Baldock remain out injured.

Bristol City possible starting lineup:
Bentley; Vyner, Atkinson, Kalas; Scott, Bakinson, Massengo, O'Dowda; Weimann; Martin, Wells

Derby County possible starting lineup:
Roos; Byrne, Jagielka, Davies, Forsyth; Thompson, Bird, Shinnie; Ebosele, Kazim-Richards, Lawrence

We say: Bristol City 1-1 Derby County

With draws becoming less valuable by the game, Derby will push for all three points at Ashton Gate. However, that effort may not prove enough, and we are backing Bristol City to come away with at least a share of the spoils from this contest.

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