Bristol City predicted team vs Wolves: McNally and Williams calls made

The Robins' meeting with the Championship high-flyers comes just days after their first win in more than a month. Michael Skubala's side curtailed what had become a four-match winless run in exciting fashion as they scored twice late on to beat Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

As City were leaving it late at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, Cesar Peixoto's side showcased their impressive firepower, and not for the first time this term, as they got the better of Cardiff City.

Early goals from Fer Lopez and Adam Armstrong, as well as a second-half strike from Ladislav Krejci - and an inspired performance between the posts from Jose Sa - saw Wolves run out 3-0 winners over the Bluebirds, to secure their seventh three points of the league campaign.

Ahead of Tuesday evening's Championship fixtures, Peixoto's side sit third in the table. With the Robins' gap to Wolves currently standing at 11 places and six points, Skubala's side will come into this one as slight underdogs.

The Reds have, however, been boosted in recent days by the return of defender Rob Dickie to training. While City remain without Noah Eile and likely Gibson Yah and Elijah Adebayo, the rest of their squad is reasonably healthy, barring a couple of bumps and bruises.

Lorent Tolaj has had to be managed through training for much of the last week, after receiving a "whack" to his hip away at Stoke City, while rotation has been promised by Skubala, who has worked hard to be careful with both Joe Williams and Luke McNally's workloads.

With all of the above in mind, here is how we think the Robins will line up this evening...

Since Bristol City last played at Ashton Gate, an awful lot has changed between the posts. Heading into that meeting with Sheffield United, there was a lot of debate over Sam Tickle's position, but the Robins' number one kept his place.

That defeat to the Blades signalled the end of the 24-year-old's run in the team, however, and he has been replaced by Brad Collins for the last two matches. While the former Coventry stopper conceded twice against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, he pulled off a couple of eye-catching saves before the Reds' pair of late goals.

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Given that Collins has been solid in his two City appearances so far, our bet is that he'll make his Ashton Gate debut against Wolves.

Ahead of the Reds' number 40, the biggest question is whether or not Michael Skubala reverts to the back four he has tended to use at home this term, or stands by the three-at-the-back formation that has worked so effectively on the Robins' travels in recent weeks.

Would we be surprised to see the latter? No, but given the City boss' comments around maintaining relationships in his starting line-up during Monday's press conference, we're going to edge towards another back three with Lisav Eissat once again expected to start on the left and George Tanner on the right.

That leaves one place up for grabs, with Luke McNally, Rob Atkinson and Rob Dickie in the race to fill it. Had it not been for the quick turnaround, McNally would be a shoo-in to get the nod - he's made the place his own since the international break - but with this game two of three this week, will the Reds risk the Irishman?

We're going to err on the side of caution this time around and suggest Atkinson will start in the middle of the three. He's likely the fittest and freshest of the options available.

The same principle we've applied when predicting Bristol City's backline this afternoon applies when considering how the Robins may line up in the middle of the park this evening.

Undoubtedly, Joe Williams would be a part of the Robins' best team this term. The 29-year-old is, so far this season, yet to start a midweek game, having played the weekend prior. With that in mind, we're going to suggest - and we would love to be wrong - that he will start amongst the substitutes against Wolves, but play a much bigger role against Norwich City on Saturday lunchtime.

With Williams unlikely to start - in our eyes at least - and considering the fact that we expect Gibson Yah to miss this one due to that knock that kept him out on Saturday, our bet is that Jason Knight and Brian De Keersmaecker will keep their places, but be joined by Adam Randell in the middle of the park.

The 26-year-old has only started four league games so far this season, but three of those starts have come in three-game weeks. He appears to be the man to step into the Reds' midfield when an extra body is required.

Yes, maybe one of Tomi Horvat, Sam Greenwood or Scott Twine could operate in that deeper role instead, but against a Wolves side packed with attacking talent, it feels like a more traditional option will be needed, allowing Knight to play slightly further forward, as he did against Bolton.

At wing-back, our expectation is Cam Pring and Rio Cardines will keep their place on the left and right, respectively. They're the most 'natural' wing-backs in this City squad, and while Jed Wallace and Yu Hirakawa could play in such a position, it feels more likely that they'll appear from the bench.

Since Bristol City shifted to this three-at-the-back formation a little over a fortnight ago, Lorent Tolaj and Dom Ballard have started both matches together as a strike partnership.

Now, there is a very real chance that they are deployed together once again tonight, but whether or not that happens will likely hinge on the fitness of Lorent Tolaj, who has been nursed through a contusion on his hip that was sustained against Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium.

Normally, we would err on the side of caution here and suggest the 25-year-old would start on the bench in order to not risk further damage. That could very well be what occurs tonight, and if it does, our bet would be that Scott Twine would get the nod as City's second-striker.

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But Skubala started Tolaj against Bolton, having played down his chances of featuring at the Toughsheet Community Stadium. Purely because we think the Robins boss may be trying to pull another fast one on us, we're predicting that the Swiss-born striker will once again start alongside Ballard.

Should that be the case, expect Twine and Sam Bell to have important roles to play from the bench. On the evidence of Saturday, their services could be needed early in the second half, if Tolaj is to tire.

Bristol City predicted XI (3-5-2): Brad Collins; George Tanner, Rob Atkinson, Lisav Eissat; Rio Cardines, Jason Knight, Adam Randell, Brian De Keersmaecker, Cam Pring; Dom Ballard, Lorent Tolaj