Nathan Jones believes that Bristol City have to be "either extremely lucky or defend well" to get anything from their trip to Leeds United on Saturday.
Bristol City sit seventh on 53 points in the Championship following their 3-2 win at Derby County on Wednesday, while Leeds are just three points ahead of the Robins, on 56 points in second after they drew at Brentford on Tuesday.
City manager Lee Johnson played with Jones at Yeovil during the 2005/06 season, and they were managed by Lee’s father Gary until he left Huish Park to manage the Robins, where he would spend five years at Ashton Gate.
Speaking on the EFL Podcast, former Stoke City manager Jones said: “Whatever you do when you go to Leeds, one thing you have to do is either be extremely lucky or defend well.
“Whichever formation or whatever tactics they approach, they have to defend well and you have to work hard to nullify Leeds’ threat.”
The 46-year-old does however believe the Robins have a chance ahead of the game, where a win would move City level on points with Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
City boast the 11th-best away defence in the Championship, having conceded 22 goals in 16 games and have recorded three straight clean sheets on the road - at QPR, Reading and Wigan.
The concept of taking on Leeds may be, in theory, formidable but Bielsa's side have been plagued by inefficiency in front of goal, scoring just 22 at Elland Road, despite averaging a league high 17.2 shots per game.
But defensively they are teak tough on home soil, conceding just 13 goals from 15 games - only Cardiff (12) and Deby (11) have allowed fewer.
“I do believe you get opportunities when you go to Leeds. How they play, they’re very brave and their structure is brave, and bold, and front footed," he added.
“So if you can combat that and use certain strengths, whether that’s a counter-attack, or whether it’s pace, or whether it’s individual skill, they will get opportunities.”
Jones has faced Leeds four times in his managerial career, and boasts a mixed record against the Whites. He guided Stoke to a penalty shoot-out win in the League Cup, before winning 2-1 at the bet365 Stadium five months later.
His Luton side was defeated 1-0 during a League Cup match in 2016, and his Stoke side were humbled 3-0 at Elland Road in August 2018. He admitted the challenge of playing Leeds and the influence of their support:
“Whatever you do, you know you’ve got to play well to get a result at Elland Road, and if they get in front they’re difficult to peg back, with the crowd and everything," he said.
“Look, they’re a top side and I can’t second guess what Leeds are going to do. But one thing is for sure, you can’t be half-cocked when you go to Elland Road, you have to be at it.”
