Bristol City predicted team vs Wrexham: Full Eile debut possible as Knight and Bird eye returns

Bristol Live’s predicted Bristol City team to face Wrexham, with full debuts possible as the Robins aim to climb into the play-off places

Gerhard Struber has decisions to make when it comes to Bristol City’s Noah Eile and Jason Knight(Image: EFL, Bristol City and Getty Images)

After a longer-than-expected break, Bristol City are back in action this evening. While the Robins’ focus was never truly able to shift towards the FA Cup, attention is now very much directed back to the Championship with Wrexham in town tonight.

Of course, Gerhard Struber and his players were supposed to take to the field in the last couple of days, with the visit of Wrexham moved to Tuesday night so that the Reds’ FA Cup fourth round clash with Port Vale could take centre stage. That was until the weather intervened.

Exactly 24 hours before City were set to kick off in front of around 3,000 travelling fans, the trip to Vale Park was postponed. After a pitch inspection, it was confirmed that the surface was unplayable, with a likely much-reduced group of away fans now likely to make the trip early next month.

For this evening’s opponents, things went more to plan. Wrexham booked their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time in nearly 30 years as they beat fellow Championship promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town at home on Friday evening.

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In the end, Josh Windass’ strike in the first half was enough for Phil Parkinson’s side to get the better of the Tractor Boys. While it was a result that may not have brought with it any points, it lifted the mood and confidence levels in North Wales.

As is made clear by a glance at the Championship table, tonight’s contest is an important one for both teams. For both City and Wrexham, win, and you find yourself above Derby County and in the top six. Lose, and you’ll have to watch the other team pull ahead in the play-off race.

City will hope to be boosted by the return of captain Jason Knight from an ankle injury, while Max Bird and Joe Williams will hoping to be included in the matchday squad, having missed the chance for valuable minutes against Port Vale. On top of those recovering from injury issues, winter signings Noah Eile, Delano Burgzorg, and Seb Naylor are still waiting to make their full debuts.

While the Robins’ squad is far from big, Struber is as close to being spoilt for choice currently as he has been all term. With that in mind, here is how we think the Reds will set up against Wrexham this evening…

Goalkeeper and defence

Fortunately, because of the final result at Hull City last time out, Radek Vitek’s slightly shaky performance between the posts at the MKM Stadium could be quickly forgotten by all Bristol City fans in attendance.

While the Manchester United loanee could do little to prevent Oli McBurnie’s opener, he found himself in no man’s land as he attempted to deal with a cross from the right flank in the moments before Kieran Dowell’s late strike. While that error was punished, it mattered very little in the grand scheme of things. With that in mind, it would come as a shock if the 23-year-old doesn’t keep his place in goal this evening.

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Ahead of Vitek, we would imagine that there will be plenty of City supporters keen to see Noah Eile thrust into the starting line-up for his full debut following his deadline day move to Ashton Gate from New York Red Bulls.

Although we think Gerhard Struber could make such a bold call against a play-off rival, we think he will instead opt for an ‘if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach and stand by the back three of George Tanner, Rob Dickie and Rob Atkinson that impressed on Humberside.

Yes, Eile’s height could prove very useful if Kieffer Moore is to start for Phil Parkinson’s side, but in Atkinson and Dickie, the Robins should have the physical presence to deal with the Wales international. If he is to cause problems, Eile will almost certainly be on the bench, alongside one of Cam Pring or Neto Borges and Seb Naylor to offer an alternative.

Midfield

Now, it has to be said, we have had to put together this predicted team without the aid of a pre-match press conference as a result of the postponement of Bristol City’s clash with Port Vale. That may seem a trivial thing to mention, but it does mean that the last injury update we received from Gerhard Struber is now almost a week old.

You won’t need us to tell you that a week is a long time in football. Just who is or isn’t available could have changed drastically over the course of the Robins’ clear weekend, but we have to pick this side based entirely on what we were told last week.

With that in mind, we think, unsurprisingly, that it will be Adam Randell who starts in central midfield for the Reds, and our guess is that he will again be partnered by Sam Morsy. If we are correct, a combination of – if not all three of – Joe Williams, Jason Knight and Max Bird will be named amongst the substitutes.

(Image: PA)

Struber was hopeful Knight would be involved this evening, but the head coach is reluctant to rush back his skipper any sooner than necessary. With Williams and Bird both also needing careful management, having recently returned from injury, we think Morsy will keep his place, particularly after a good showing against the Tigers last time out.

To the right of Randell and Morsy, our bet would be that Ross McCrorie will keep his place out wide. The Scotsman has made the right wing-back position his own this term and appears to be ahead of Mark Sykes in the current pecking order.

On the opposite flank, we expect Neto Borges to get the nod ahead of Cam Pring. In all honesty, this one feels like a toss-up, but Borges is the man in possession of the shirt currently, and he didn’t do anything at Hull to suggest that shouldn’t remain the case.

Attack and striker

You have to feel ever so slightly sorry for some of the players on the fringes of the Bristol City starting line-up currently. For the likes of George Earthy, Sam Bell, Delano Burgzorg and Sinclair Armstrong, the weekend’s trip to Vale Park would have been the perfect chance to stake their claim for a start against Wrexham.

However, with such an opportunity now postponed until early next month, we can’t see a world in which Gerhard Struber strays from the attacking midfield duo that caught the eye for all the right reasons against Hull: Tomi Horvat and Scott Twine. Of course, that’s assuming both players are fit and available.

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Twine and Horvat combined brilliantly against the Tigers on what was the latter’s full debut. While a home game in front of an expectant crowd will pose a different challenge, it will likely again be down to them to combine a moment of magic, whilst Earthy, Bell, Max Bird and Burgzorg likely wait in the wings.

That just leaves the question of who leads the line? As has been the case for much of the season, we’re sure some of you will be calling for a change, but our bet is that it will once again be Emil Riis who features as the sole centre-forward.

The Dane is the Robins’ top goalscorer this term and brings an awful lot more to the side than his goals. While the addition of Burzgorg and the good form of Armstrong have increased competition, the evidence of the season so far suggests more often than not, he’ll be the man to start when fit.

Bristol City predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Radek Vitek; George Tanner, Rob Dickie, Rob Atkinson; Ross McCrorie, Adam Randell, Sam Morsy, Neto Borges; Tomi Horvat, Scott Twine; Emil Riis

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