Bristol City vs Cardiff: Championship Preview, Gameweek 5, 2022

Bristol City completed the double over their cross-river rivals last term and will be hoping to chalk three points on the board once again following an inconsistent start to the season.

Despite securing high-profile acquisitions across the summer such as Kal Naismith, Rob Sykes and highly-regarded wing-back Kane Wilson, Bristol City currently occupy 15th place.

However, the Championship remains very much a marathon instead of a sprint and the Ashton Gate faithful will still no doubt harbour ambitions of a successful campaign.

Meanwhile, Steve Morison's new-look Cardiff City will certainly fancy their chances as they embark across the River Severn, having enjoyed a fruitful start to the current campaign.

A summer of change was inevitable and the mass upheaval of last year's squad coupled with the arrivals of up to 15 new first-team additions has been vindicated so far, with two victories, a draw and only a solitary defeat.

After a respectable, hard-earned draw away at West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday night, the Bluebirds will be diligent in their quest for a first win on the road this weekend.

Team news

Bristol City

Nigel Pearson will be without new man Sykes, owing to the winger’s dismissal in their 2-0 victory over Luton Town.

Defensive duo Tomas Kalas and Nathan Baker remain sidelined, with the latter still out of action after sustaining a serious head injury last November.

Prodigious striker Antoine Semenyo continues to rehabilitate from a shin injury suffered while on International duty with Ghana, too.

Cardiff

Cardiff themselves have been dealt with a devastating blow in the form of Jamilu Collins’ injury ultimatum.

The Nigerian full-back had emerged as a key component in his side’s backline, though he was hauled off after merely a few minutes during Cardiff’s trip to The Hawthorns. Initial nightmares have become etched in reality, with Morison confirming a season-ending ACL injury to the popular 28-year-old.

In addition, Isaak Davies and Ebou Adams are both still unavailable.

Likely lineups

Bristol City (3-4-1-2):

Bentley; Vyner, Naismith, Atkinson; Wilson, Massengo, Scott, Dasilva; Weimann; Wells, Conway

Cardiff (4-3-3):

Allsop; Romeo, Ng, Kipre, Bagan; Wintle, Rinomhota, Sawyers; Ojo, Watters, O’Dowda

Key players

Bristol City - Andreas Weimann

The catalyst-in-chief on Severnside, anything good that Bristol do typically tends to flow through the talents of experienced forward Weimann.

Capable of performing in a variety of forward positions, the Austrian enjoyed the best season of his career last term, scoring 22 times and assisting a further 10.

Cardiff - Callum O’Dowda

O’Dowda has played like a man reborn ever since his summer switch to the Bluebirds, joining from Bristol after the expiration of his contract.

With a goal and two assists in four games- already a higher return than he had amassed in any of his final three seasons for the Robins- the winger regularly orchestrates his side’s attacking plays and will be vying to get one over his former employers.