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

Fulham head into Saturday's fixture with Bristol City at Ashton Gate looking to bounce back from two defeats in their last three Championship fixtures.

Despite sitting seven places adrift of the visitors, Bristol City can move to within a point of their opponents if they end their winless home streak.

Match preview

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Having reached the international break with five successive wins in all competitions, Marco Silva would have had total confidence that Fulham would pick up where they left off during September.

However, surprise league defeats against Blackpool and Reading have resulted in the Cottagers dropping down to second position, two points adrift of unbeaten Bournemouth.

Silva will be relatively content with where Fulham sit in the standings at this stage of the season, but the Portuguese is under increasing pressure to get the team back on track.

Some of his second-string made a case for more opportunities in the Championship during their goalless draw with Leeds United in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.

Nevertheless, Rodrigo Muniz missed the decisive penalty in the subsequent shootout, and Silva may have a job to lift the high-profile summer signing.

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There was a time earlier in the season when there were question marks over whether Nigel Pearson was the right fit for this Bristol City squad.

Pearson will feel that he has delivered a definitive answer in recent weeks with the Robins collecting eight points from a possible 12.

The wait for a win at Ashton Gate has been extended to 14 matches, but away victories at Cardiff City and Queens Park Rangers have catapulted Bristol City up the table.

Chris Martin ended a four-game streak without a goal at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium before Nakhi Wells netted his first league strike of the campaign against his former club.

Team News

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Pearson will almost certainly stick with the 3-5-2 formation which proved to be effective against QPR last weekend.

George Tanner will keep his place at right wing-back after starring on his debut, while Cameron Pring could feature in a back three if Nathan Baker fails to recover from an ankle injury.

Silva made sweeping changes to his Fulham side for the Leeds game, and the players who missed out could all return to the starting lineup.

Muniz will likely start among the replacements, allowing for Aleksandar Mitrovic to lead the line, but Harrison Reed is pushing for a recall in midfield.

Neeskens Kebano is also in contention for another opportunity in the league after a lively outing against the Premier League side.

Bristol City possible starting lineup:
Bentley; Kalas, Atkinson, Pring; Tanner, James, Bakinson, Dasilva; Massengo; Martin, Weimann

Fulham possible starting lineup:
Gazzaniga; Odoi, Adarabioyo, Ream, Robinson; Seri, Chalobah; Wilson, Decordova-Reid, Kebano; Mitrovic

We say: Bristol City 1-2 Fulham

This has all the makings of a competitive fixture, particularly with Fulham having lost momentum. Nevertheless, playing away from home may suit the Cottagers, who we are backing to edge this contest in the closing stages.