2019-20 Sky Bet Championship: Week Eight – Saturday

Swansea City hop over the Welsh border as they visit Bristol City at Ashton Gate in Saturday’s big Sky Bet Championship match. 

Having surrendered top spot last weekend, Swansea could go back top if Leeds fails to beat Derby whilst Bristol City could leapfrog their visitors if they can take all three points. 

 

Team news

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Bristol City will be without Benik Afobe due to a freak anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in training this week. 

Adam Nagy (ankle) is a doubt whilst Ashley Williams could start against his former team with Tomas Kalas (hamstring) and Bailey Wright (thigh) both sidelined in central defence. 

Swansea have a near full squad with Aldo Kalulu their only absentee due to an ankle injury. 

 

Form 

Bristol City haven’t suffered a league defeat since the opening weekend with four wins and two draws in the following period, although they only have one clean sheet so far this season which came in a 2-0 home win over QPR. 

Swansea’s unbeaten start in all competitions ended last time out in a late 1-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest but have conceded just once in three away matches so far, which came in a 3-1 win at QPR. 

 

Stat Attack

• Bristol City have lost just one of their last six meetings with Swansea (W4, D1, L1). 
• Andreas Weimann scored for Bristol City in both meetings against Swansea last season, which marked the first season since 2009-10 in which the Robins kept a clean sheet across both clashes with Swansea. 
• Borja Baston has four goals from three of Swansea’s last five matches. 

 

Prediction

Swansea were strangely flat last weekend but given that they had just come back from the international break, I am giving them the benefit of the doubt but want to see a better clinical performance here 

Bristol City meanwhile are playing fantastic pressing football at present which I think is going to pose questions of Swansea’s defence. 

An open end-to-end game is therefore my feeling with a high scoring draw to go with the entertaining quality on offer. 

Prediction: Bristol City 2-2 Swansea City

Result: Bristol City 0-0 Swansea City