Preview: Bristol City vs Southampton - prediction, team news, lineups

Fighting for promotion from the Championship, Bristol City will welcome Southampton to Ashton Gate Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The Robins are hoping to make it back-to-back wins in midweek, while the Saints are looking for their first victory in three games.

Match preview

Bristol City missed out on promotion via the playoffs in 2024-25 under Liam Manning, but they are pushing for another chance at reaching the top flight with Gerhard Struber at the helm.

The former Red Bull Salzburg head coach took charge in the summer, and has overseen four wins, four draws and two defeats in the Championship so far.

On Saturday, the Robins bounced back from their 2-1 defeat against Queens Park Rangers by earning all three points in a 1-0 victory on the road to Norwich City, the team that Manning now manages.

That triumph has Struber's side seventh in the table, where their tally of 16 points puts them just one point shy of sixth-placed Millwall, fifth-placed West Bromwich Albion and fourth-placed Leicester City.

Another victory could see them make the jump into the top six, though given that Bristol City have won only one of their last five clashes at Ashton Gate (two losses and two draws), they will need to defy their home form to achieve it.

Meanwhile, it would be fair to say that Will Still has made Southampton into a resilient team since taking over after their relegation from the Premier League, but an excessive number of draws has stifled their ambitions.

Most recently, the Saints followed up their 1-1 stalemate with Derby County prior to the international break with another draw, this time a 0-0 against Swansea City at the weekend.

That latest tie was Still's men's sixth of the campaign, and placed them 16th in the second tier with 12 points, an equal five above the relegation zone and five behind the playoff spots.

Dropping two points on Saturday also means that Southampton have won just one of their last eight fixtures across all competitions, drawing four and losing two.

The manager has expressed his opinion that the Saints are missing out on victories due to fine margins, and considering that the visitors have only lost once on the road this season, as well as the fact that they have scored in every one of their away games - including against Liverpool at Anfield - they could see Tuesday as a prime opportunity to earn a rare win.

Bristol City Championship form:

Southampton Championship form:

Southampton form (all competitions):

Team News

Bristol City have an extensive injury list to contend with this week, especially in midfield, as Max Bird is out with a calf injury, Jason Knight is out with a groin issue, Joe Williams is sidelined with an ankle problem, and Josh Stokes is set to be out until mid-November.

In their absence, Zak Vyner is likely to partner Adam Randell in the centre of the park, while Scott Twine and Anis Mehmeti line up behind striker Emil Riis Jakobsen.

Elsewhere, left-sided defender Cameron Pring will miss this game with an ankle injury, though George Tanner, Robert Dickie and Rob Atkinson should be on hand to start in a back three.

As for Southampton, they have an almost fully-fit squad, but centre-back Joshua Quarshie is out with a hip injury, while right-back Elias Jelert's involvement is in question, so expect to see Ronnie Edwards, Nathan Wood and Taylor Harwood-Bellis start at the heart of defence, flanked by Tom Fellows and Welington at wing-back.

Further forward, striker Ross Stewart is sidelined with a hamstring injury and winger Samuel Edozie remains a doubt, and Still could continue with Adam Armstrong and Leo Scienza supporting Cameron Archer up top.

Bristol City possible starting lineup:

Vitek; Tanner, Dickie, Atkinson; McCrorie, Vyner, Randell, Borges; Twine, Mehmeti; Jacobsen

Southampton possible starting lineup:

McCarthy; Fellows, Edwards, Wood, Harwood-Bellis, Welington; Armstrong, Jander, Charles, Scienza; Archer

We say: Bristol City 1-2 Southampton

Bristol City may be on the cusp of the playoff spots, but their recent record at Ashton Gate has been poor, with one win, two draws and two defeats from their last five home games.

Southampton have struggled for wins in 2025-26, but considering that they have scored in every away game this season, they could take all three points on Tuesday.

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