Bristol City predicted team vs MK Dons: Struber faces rotation call as Reds eye Carabao Cup run

Bristol City and Gerhard Struber start their Carabao Cup campaign against MK Dons at Ashton Gate this evening

Dan Carter is the Bristol City reporter at Bristol Live. He joined the title in November 2024 having previously been a football reporter at Breaking Media. Before that, he was a sports journalism student at the University of Gloucestershire where he also covered the Robins whilst on placement. In his role, he wants to keep supporters informed with the latest news in and around Ashton Gate whether that be on matchdays, during transfer windows or everything in between.

Gerhard Struber with Bristol City supporters(Image: Rogan/Bristol City)

After a near-perfect return to the Championship against Sheffield United at the weekend, Gerhard Struber and Bristol City’s attention now turns to the Carabao Cup as the Robins play host to MK Dons at Ashton Gate this evening.

Struber, his squad, and the City faithful have had a couple of days to enjoy their remarkable 4-1 opening day win over the Blades. Two goals from Scott Twine, either side of one apiece for Ross McCrorie and Anis Mehmeti, not only helped the Robins get the better of last term’s play-off semi-finalists, but also saw them climb to the top of the Championship table after the opening round of fixtures.

While the Austrian couldn’t have asked for a much better start, this evening presents a different challenge. With League Two opposition making the trip to BS3, there is a sense of expectation that the Reds should not only get the better of Paul Warne’s Dons but do so comfortably, having dispatched one of the favourites for automatic promotion out of the Championship last time out.

Just how strong a team Struber will name is anyone’s guess. The new Reds boss has already voiced his desire to progress in both the Carabao and FA Cup this term, but he has also explained that he is ready to, and will, call upon the entire squad over the course of the campaign.

That will no doubt be music to the ears of supporters hoping for a cup run this year, but it is more like nails on a chalkboard to somebody who has to predict a starting line-up each and every week. In all honesty, we cannot say with any certainty that our prediction will be accurate this time around.

On a more positive note, we said something similar ahead of the trip to Bramall Lane and only got one out of 11 wrong on that occasion. Let’s hope, both for us and for the Robins themselves, that good performance on the opening day wasn’t just some early-season luck.

With all of that out of the way, here is how we think Struber will set City up against MK Dons this evening…

Goalkeeper and defence

When it comes to who starts between the posts, Gerhard Struber faces a bit of a ‘stick or twist’ decision. If this were a Championship fixture, we would be confident in saying that Radek Vitek would get the nod after his brilliant debut at Bramall Lane, but it is not unusual to see head coaches rotate their stoppers in cup games.

Joe Lumley is the man waiting in the wings, having put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Ashton Gate earlier this summer. The former Southampton ‘keeper got plenty of minutes throughout pre-season, and there is a real possibility he could be handed his first competitive start for the Reds this evening. However, we think Struber will opt to continue with Vitek.

Having been signed in the final days of pre-season, the Manchester United loanee is still getting used to life as a Robin, and starting another game would do him no harm. With changes expected in defence, keeping some form of continuity in the backline may also be vital.

Radek Vitek made his Bristol City debut in the Reds’ win over Sheffield United(Image: Photo by Rogan/Bristol City)

Ahead of Vitek, we think Zak Vyner will keep his place from the weekend, but our expectation is that the academy graduate will move to the right of the back three. The 27-year-old showed last season that he can deal with a heavy workload, so he should have no issue with the quick turnaround.

In the middle of the defensive trio, Rob Dickie is expected to return, having served the final game of his suspension at Bramall Lane. When fit and at his best, he arguably remains City’s best central defender, and with Saturday’s visit of Charlton Athletic around the corner, he needs competitive minutes.

Of course, Rob Atkinson could retain his spot on the left, but given his injury record in recent years, it seems an unnecessary risk to start him again after a testing match at the weekend. If we rule him out, it feels like a straight shoot-out between Haydon Roberts and Jamie Knight-Lebel.

While, and we can’t stress this enough, we can’t be certain which way Struber will lean, we’re going to go with Knight-Lebel. The Canadian international featured on the left of a back three during his loan spell at Crewe Alexandra and has been in and around the first-team throughout the summer.

Midfield

We’ll start in the middle of the park. In his press conference ahead of the weekend’s trip to Sheffield United, Gerhard Struber admitted that he was hopeful Max Bird would be able to play a part in this evening’s game. We’re going to assume the head coach’s optimism was well placed and are therefore backing Bird to feature from the off.

The former Derby County man missed the bulk of pre-season through injury and is yet to play a game, competitive or friendly, under Struber. Given the ability he possesses, you would imagine the Robins will be keen to get the 24-year-old up to speed as quickly as possible, and the best way to do that is with match minutes.

Max Bird joined Bristol City last summer(Image: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)

Alongside him, and again, we could be well wide of the mark; our bet is that Jason Knight will start. Like Zak Vyner, the Ireland international showed last season that he can play upwards of 50 games in a campaign whilst maintaining a high performance level. Struber has also waxed lyrical about his captain over the last few weeks and will therefore likley be keen to have him involved.

However, if he is to be given a rest, one of Adam Randell or Adam Murphy will start in his place, with Joe Williams unlikely to be ready to feature.

At right wing-back, it feels as if City don’t have any real need to risk Ross McCrorie. The Scotsman impressed throughout pre-season and was brilliant at Bramall Lane, but got through an awful lot of work against the Blades. We think he will drop to the bench, and Mark Sykes will get his first start under the new boss.

On the left, it is not out of the question that youngster Elijah Morrison could make his first senior start in red and white; however, that seems unlikely given the fact that he didn’t make the bench on Saturday evening. Haydon Roberts could also be deployed in the more advanced position, yet it feels as though he’d be more suited to a deeper position in Struber’s system.

Maybe McCrorie won’t be given a rest and instead just switch flank, but our feeling is that Yu Hirakawa will get another chance to impress, this time in a game where he may have more of a license to get forward.

Attack and striker

As we mentioned in the defensive section of this piece, if this were a predicted Bristol City team for Saturday’s clash with Charlton Athletic, we would be backing Gerhard Struber to name the exact same front three that ran riot at Bramall Lane. However, given the quick turnaround and change in competition, we think the Reds boss will take the chance to rotate slightly.

We do think one of the front three will keep their place, though, with Anis Mehmeti backed to start as the left-sided number 10. The Albanian international was brilliant in last weekend’s win and should have no issue navigating a second start in just four days. He is undoubtedly one of the fittest members of this current squad, as shown by his performances over the course of pre-season.

There is every chance it will again be Scott Twine who partners the 24-year-old after his match-winning showing in the Steel City, but our bet is that the former Burnley man will get a rest, with Sam Bell taking on his duties.

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Twine was out on his feet by the time he was replaced midway through the second half on Saturday evening, and therefore, it feels natural that he would benefit from a rest. Bell was bright in his cameo and in Struber’s quick, attacking side; his pace at the top end of the pitch could be an asset.

Finally, comes the question of who leads the line? Emil Riis could start again, but City won’t want to run the risk of losing their primary striker so early in the campaign. The Dane has had injury issues previously in his career, and as a result, we expect him to take up a place on the bench.

That means one of Sinclair Armstrong, Ephraim Yeboah, Harry Cornick, or Fally Mayulu will start. With Mayulu left out of the matchday squad last time out and neither Yeboah nor Cornick getting off the bench, we’re going to back Armstrong.

The Ireland international could do with a goal or two to boost his confidence at this early stage of the campaign, and a cup game against lower league opposition could be the perfect opportunity for him to get off the mark for the term.

Bristol City predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Radek Vitek; Jamie Knight-Lebel, Rob Dickie, Zak Vyner; Yu Hirakawa, Jason Knight, Max Bird, Mark Sykes; Anis Mehmeti, Sam Bell; Sinclair Armstrong

Bristol City predicted team vs MK Dons: Struber faces rotation call as Reds eye Carabao Cup run

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