Preview: Port Vale vs Bristol City - prediction, team news, lineups

Jon Brady’s Valiants have since shifted their focus back to the relegation battle engulfing them, while Gerhard Struber’s Robins have continued to chase their playoff dream in the division above. 

Match preview

A tough test awaits Port Vale this Tuesday night as they enter their long-awaited FA Cup tie against Championship opposition, they will know they will need to show a marked improvement if they are to overcome a side 37 places above them in the football pyramid.

However, the Valiants can take confidence from their last three games that an upset could be on the cards. 

Although they remain bottom of League One and 10 points adrift of safety, a recent run of one win and two draws from their last three league matches has provided a measure of encouragement that survival is not yet beyond reach.

Those results, coming against a mixture of fellow strugglers and promotion hopefuls, have highlighted a renewed determination within Brady’s squad to battle until the very end.

Their route to this stage of the FA Cup has been convincing, beginning with a 5-1 demolition of Maldon & Tiptree before narrow 1-0 wins over Bristol Rovers and Fleetwood Town, but this encounter is a significant rise in quality.

While league survival is unquestionably the priority, a strong cup showing could further galvanise the squad and maintain the momentum they have built in recent weeks, and a shock result would not only lift spirits but potentially fuel belief in a late-season great escape.

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As for Bristol City, they have been like Jekyll and Hyde with their performances since the turn of the New Year and arrive in Staffordshire searching for consistency they have struggled to build in recent weeks. 

Since the weekend they were due to take on Port Vale in the FA Cup, the Robins have won once, drawn once and lost twice and have seen their position in the Championship slip and their ambition for a successive top-six finish become harder. 

Their recent Friday night clash would have been particularly frustrating as it was an opportunity to close the gap between the playoff places and take three points against a similarly matched side.

However, a Jeremy Ngakia screamer condemned the Robins to a third home loss in a row and forced them to end the weekend in 10th, seven points adrift of where they hope to end the season. 

The inconsistency mentioned is highlighted with their impressive FA Cup showing in round three, when they thrashed Watford 5-1, only to lose to the same opposition in the league a few weeks later, underlining the unpredictable nature of their campaign.

History does favour the visitors, who are unbeaten in their last nine meetings with Port Vale and have not suffered defeat in this fixture since April 2004.

Although the sides have not met for over a decade, Bristol City will draw confidence from that record as they look to secure progression to the fifth round, where Sunderland await the winner.

Port Vale FA Cup form:

Port Vale form (all competitions):

Bristol City FA Cup form:

Bristol City form (all competitions):

Team News

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Port Vale have come away from their latest clash with no further injury concerns but may be tempted to rest key players in order to focus on League One survival instead of a FA Cup run. 

Should that be the case, Joe Gauci could be someone who drops out with Ben Amos taking his place in goal. 

Brady will, however, be unable to call upon Ben Heneghan, Ben Garrity, George Byers and Ryan Croasdale, who all remain unavailable through injury.

As for the Robins, they have welcomed back many first-team players over the past few weeks but will still have limited options in defence ahead of this one. 

They will still be without Joe Williams, Luke McNally, Rob Atkinson and Adam Murphy, while Struber also confirmed Rob Dickie will be on the sidelines for at least 10 weeks. 

Changes could come up top with Sinclair Armstrong potentially being the preferred choice in attack over Emil Riis, while Radek Vitek is expected to make way for Joe Lumley in goal. 

Port Vale possible starting lineup:

Amos; John, Humphreys, C. Hall, Headley; Ojo, Shipley, G. Hall; Lawrence-Gabriel, Gray, Stockley

Bristol City possible starting lineup:

Lumley; Tanner, Eile, Pring; Sykes, S. Morsy, Randell, McCrorie; Burgzorg, Armstrong, Twine

We say: Port Vale 0-3 Bristol City

Separated by 37 places and contrasting outlooks on how they wish to end their seasons, both sides may feel they could do without this FA Cup tie. We expect Struber to make many changes to his side ahead of this one but with Bristol City still making no mistake and breezing through to the next round. 

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