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

Bristol City volition look to assertion a 2nd consecutive triumph erstwhile they invited Portsmouth to Ashton Gate for Sunday's Championship encounter.

Meanwhile, the relegation-threatened visitors volition effort to nutrient a effect aft they fell to a constrictive decision successful their Boxing Day clash with Watford.

Match preview

© Imago

Bristol City volition person the accidental to extremity the calendar twelvemonth with back-to-back victories aft they edged retired Luton Town connected Boxing Day to extremity a four-game winless run.

Scott Twine scored the decisive extremity successful the 1-0 triumph implicit the Hatters, making it 3 location games without decision for Liam Manning's side.

The 11th-placed Robins, who are 7 points adrift of the apical six, volition present crook their absorption to Sunday's clash against Portsmouth, with the hosts looking to assertion consecutive league wins for the archetypal clip since March/April.

Bristol City are seeking revenge against John Mousinho's broadside aft falling to a dense 3-0 decision successful the reverse fixture astatine Fratton Park connected December 7.

While they would person been disappointed with that result, the Robins tin instrumentality assurance from the information they are unbeaten successful their past six location games against Portsmouth (W2, D4).

They volition anticipation to debar different underwhelming extremity to the twelvemonth aft playing retired a goalless gully against Millwall and Birmingham City successful their last outings of 2022 and 2023 respectively.

© Imago

Portsmouth are sitting conscionable 1 constituent above the bottommost three, having won four, drawn 8 and mislaid 9 of their 21 matches this season.

Pompey recorded the astir caller of those 4 victories successful past Saturday's location clash against Coventry City, claiming a commanding 4-1 triumph to widen their unbeaten location tally to 4 matches (W3, D1).

Unfortunately for Pompey, they were incapable to instrumentality thing from their Boxing Day brushwood with Watford contempt taking the pb done Zach Swanson's 10th-minute opener.

Edo Kayembe equalised from the spot pursuing the grant of a arguable penalty, earlier Rocco Vata netted a 95th-minute victor to condemn Portsmouth to a 2-1 defeat, leaving them without a triumph successful their past six distant games.

Pompey person present conceded 26 goals successful their 11 Championship distant matches, with lone Plymouth conceding much goals connected their travels this season.

Portsmouth volition effort to nutrient a beardown antiaircraft show successful their last lucifer of 2024, arsenic they spell successful hunt of their archetypal distant league triumph implicit Bristol City since signaling a 2-0 triumph successful September 1991.

Bristol City Championship form:

Portsmouth Championship form:

Team News

© Imago

The hosts stay without Joe Williams, Kal Naismith and Mark Sykes, though the second 2 are making advancement successful their respective wounded recoveries.

Forward Sinclair Armstrong is acceptable to miss a 4th consecutive crippled aft picking up a hamstring wounded earlier this month.

Sam Bell could beryllium successful contention to marque his archetypal commencement of the play aft featuring arsenic a half-time substitute successful the Boxing Day triumph implicit Luton.

As for the visitors, they are incapable to telephone upon the antiaircraft quintet of Jordan Williams, Conor Shaughnessy, Ibane Bowat, Regan Poole and Jacob Farrell.

Mousinho is besides without Harvey Blair, Kusini Yengi and Mark O'Mahony, portion Matt Ritchie volition person to beryllium assessed aft helium was forced disconnected with a dormant limb successful the opening stages of the 2nd half.

If Ritchie is incapable to start, Paddy Lane could beryllium fixed the accidental to marque his 10th commencement of the Championship season.

Bristol City imaginable starting lineup:
O'Leary; Vyner, Dickie, McNally; McCorie, Knight, Bird, Pring; Hirakawa, Twine; Bell

We say: Bristol City 2-1 Portsmouth

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