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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Sport
Gregor MacGregor

Expected Bristol City team to face Nottingham Forest as Robins look to extend winning run

Not since 1927 have Bristol City won their first four league games in a season - and Dean Holden gets the chance to equal that on Saturday against Nottingham Forest.

While some may look at the early Championship table and see a big opportunity - wiith Sabri Lamouchi's side yet to even gain a point this campaign - the West Country club are looking at the match differently.

"It will probably be our most difficult game of the season," said Jamie Paterson earlier in the week to Bristol Live.

And so the Robins have travelled by coach to Nottinghamshire on Friday looking to keep their 100 per cent run intact. We could learn a lot form the following fixture and the second away day of the season.

Here's who we expect to see in the purple and lime at the weekend.

Defence

We predict few changes from the team that beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 last weekend - though one place in the 18 is available given that Niclas Eliasson joined Nimes on Friday.

Dan Bentley will carry on in goal after consecutive clean sheets in the league, and the defence is unlikely to change either as a result: Zak Vyner and Taylor Moore, emboldened by their newly signed contracts, with Alfie Mawson to the left of the three central defenders.

Midfield

Andi Weimann and Jamie Paterson have both made important contributions in the last two games and will start too as the core of the City engine room, with the impressive Tyreeq Bakinson alongside them. A full week of training should help the middle three be fresh for the weekend.

And likewise, Tommy Rowe and Jack Hunt should keep their places on the flanks - especially Rowe who was in match-winning form against the Owls, grabbing a goal and assist. And that means that Jay Dasilva may have to remain patient and on the bench this weekend again.

Attack

Nahki Wells and Chris Martin are unlikely to be usurped from their positions in the attack given the early form of the front pair.

Admittedly, Famara Diedhiou and Antoine Semenyo have looked good at times too, as a strike pairing, but surely they will be introduced from the bench late on in the game again - especially Semenyo who has four assists in 2020/21 already.

The only addition to the squad is likely to be either Kasey Palmer or Han-Noah Massengo, or the return of Callum O'Dowda, Joe Williams or Joe Morrell to the matchday 18 - with Williams perhaps most likely.

Predicted Bristol City team (3-5-2): Bentley; Vyner, Moore, Mawson; Hunt, Weimann, Bakinson, Paterson, Rowe; Wells, Martin

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