Nigel Pearson has handed playmaker Alex Scott only his second Bristol City start for the Robins' opening game of the 2021/22 Championship season against Blackpool.
Scott made his first start for the Robins in the closing game of last season against Brentford but has impressed Pearson enough during pre-season to be entrusted against the Tangerines.
The 17-year-old is joined in the team by winger Callum O'Dowda as Pearson looks to inject some much-needed creativity in a side largely bereft of attacking consistency throughout 2020/21.
Matty James and Andy King will also make their competitive debuts for City having signed in the summer on free transfers and line up at the base of midfield.
Goalkeeper Daniel Bentley has also been confirmed as the new captain for the season, taking the place of close friend and centre-back Tomas Kalas who is on the bench.
The Czech Republic defender is kept out of the side by new signing Rob Atkinson, who signed from Oxford United for a fee in the region of £1.6m, and Nathan Baker.
Zak Vyner, as has been the case throughout most of pre-season, wins the race for right-back ahead of Danny Simpson while Jay Dasilva, who missed so much of last season through injury, is named at left-back.
Elsewhere, Andi Weimann makes his first appearance since sustained an ACL injury against Swansea on October 24 and will start down the right flank while Pearson has preferred Chris Martin in attack over Nahki Wells.
Bristol City (4-2-3-1): Bentley; Vyner, Baker, Atkinson, Dasilva; King, James; Weimann, Scott, O'Dowda; Martin: Substitutes: O'Leary, Simpson, Kalas, Williams, Palmer, Bell, Wells
