Bristol Live’s Bristol City player ratings as the Robins suffer first league defeat of the season against Oxford United at Ashton Gate

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.

Bristol City slipped below their recent standard as they were beaten by Oxford United at Ashton Gate(Image: Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Bristol City suffered their first Championship defeat of the season and Gerhard Struber’s tenure, as they were beaten 3-1 by Oxford United at Ashton Gate on Sunday afternoon.

First-half goals from Nik Prelec, Przemyslaw Placheta, and a late second-half strike from Brian De Keersmaecker were enough to ensure that Anis Mehmeti’s fourth of the season from long range was little more than a consolation for the Robins in front of a sell-out home crowd in BS3.

Prelec handed Gary Rowett’s side the lead when he headed from close range before the lead was doubled by an impressive strike from Placheta on the stroke of half-time. Mehmeti’s rifled effort gave City hope, but De Keersmaecker’s first of the season wrapped up the points for the U’s.

Defeat leaves the Reds third in the Championship after the first six games of the season, five points adrift of table-toppers Middlesbrough and one ahead of seventh-placed West Brom.

Here’s how we rated the players…

Radek Vitek – 5.5

The Bristol City stopper could do little about Oxford’s first two goals and produced a couple of solid saves in the first half, but he will have been disappointed with the away side’s third. Whether or not it was his ball to claim, he was caught in no man’s land slightly as the free-kick trickled into the far corner. By no means the worst in City colours, but not his best game.

READ MORE: Bristol City vs Oxford United live: Gerhard Struber goes unchanged as Max Bird not in squadREAD MORE: Every word Gerhard Struber said on Oxford, Steve Lansdown, Bristol City ‘domino effect’ and moreZak Vyner – 5

It was the academy graduate who conceded the free-kick for Oxford’s opener, and in all honesty, it seemed a needless foul with his man not really going anywhere. He didn’t look as comfortable in or out of possession when stationed on the left side of the defence after Rob Atkinson was forced off, but improved as the game wore on.

Rob Dickie – 5

It seemed as though it was the Bristol City vice-captain who lost Nik Prelec for Oxford’s opener, as he was left in an awful lot of space as the 24-year-old forward cannoned his header past Radek Vitek and into the back of the net. Conceded the free-kick that led to the away side’s last goal as he was caught on the wrong side of the ball, but in truth, the game was all but over at that stage.

Rob Atkinson (off for George Tanner, 16’) – N/A

Bristol City will be hoping the issue that forced him off isn’t anything too serious, given his history.

Mark Sykes (off for Yu Hirakawa, 70’) – 5.5

As was the case at Hillsborough last weekend, Mark Sykes struggled to have too much of an impact from the right flank, even if he did pop up in good positions on a couple of occasions. His corner delivery was threatening, but the Reds didn’t manage to create an awful lot from the right flank over the course of the game.

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Adam Randell (off for Fally Mayulu, 87’) – 6.5

Throughout the game, Adam Randell did what he could to offer Gerhard Struber’s side some control in the middle of the park. Showed some nice footwork early on and played a fair few smart – if simple – passes to keep things ticking over on the ball. Picked up the assist for Anis Mehmeti’s goal, but the hard work was done by the winger and came close to a leveller when he lashed a left-footed shot just wide of the post.

Jason Knight – 5

The Robins’ skipper produced an uncharacteristically sloppy first-half performance, as he seemed to struggle to impact proceedings in and out of possession. His clearance in the lead-up to the away side’s second was poor. He simply had to get the ball past Placheta, and while the finish was superb, he’ll be disappointed to not have cleared the danger. Perhaps because of his own high standards, the Ireland international just seemed a yard off the pace of the game, and when that’s the case, the Reds normally struggle.

Ross McCrorie (off for Neto Borges, 70’) – 6

Throughout the game, Ross McCrorie was trying to make things happen from the left flank with a couple of powerful runs and smart crosses. The Scotsman should have scored, or at least hit the target, when he headed over from close range following a Mark Sykes corner, but battled well throughout before being replaced in the final knockings.

Scott Twine (off for Sinclair Armstrong, 87’) – 6

Probably the best of Bristol City’s attacking players in the first half. On more than one occasion, Scott Twine slipped both Anis Mehmeti and Emil Riis behind the Oxford defence with smart passes, while also working diligently out of possession. He created plenty of chances throughout and will have been disappointed to see his late free-kick deflected behind for a corner.

Anis Mehmeti – 7.5

There’s only one place to start with Anis Mehmeti, and it is that incredible strike. Having not been at his best in the first half, the Albanian international sparked into life after the break when he cannoned a right-footed shot into the back of the net via the underside of the bar from the edge of the area. Unfortunately, it proved to be little more than a consolation, but the 24-year-old was probably City’s best player in the contest.

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Emil Riis – 5.5

In truth, it was a mixed first half for Bristol City’s centre-forward. While he posed a constant threat in-behind, he was unable to take the chances that came his way. His decision to cross low to Mehmeti late in the first half rather than shoot himself was questionable, and he should have hit the target with one or two of his other attempts. He didn’t stop running and was by no means poor in his overrall game, but he simply had to do more in the final third.

Substitutes:George Tanner – 6

He replaced Rob Atkinson in the backline early on, and perhaps the most positive thing was the fact that he didn’t stand out too much once introduced. Went about his business well enough and got stuck into a couple of tackles.

Neto Borges – 6

Didn’t manage to get on the ball an awful lot in his 20-minute cameo.

Yu Hirakawa – 5.5

Added some energy on the right flank, but probably opted to go backwards a little too often when on the ball.

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