Bristol City and Liam Manning would have secured their spot in the play-offs with a win over Leeds United at Elland RoadBristol City boss Liam Manning was frustrated by his side’s showing at Elland Road(Image: Photo by MB Media/Getty Images)

Liam Manning has honestly admitted that anyone associated with Bristol City would have “snapped your hands off” to be heading into the final game of the season with the play-off race in the Robins’ hands at the start of the campaign, despite his side’s defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road.

City slipped to back-to-back league losses for the first time since November as they were thrashed 4-0 by the Whites on Monday evening. Goals from Ao Tanaka and Wilfried Gnonto partnered with a late brace from substitute Largie Ramazani proved to be enough for Daniel Farke’s side to claim all three points and move a step closer to the Championship title.

Tanaka turned home Manor Solomon’s cross from close range to open the scoring after 22 minutes and although Leeds were dominant from the first whistle to the last, they had to wait until 10 minutes into the second half to double their advantage through Gnonto. While the Italian’s goal looked to be enough to curtail any hopes of a City comeback, Ramazani ensured the result was put beyond doubt as he beat Max O’Leary twice late on.

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Though, for the second week in a row, the Reds missed a chance to book their spot in the play-offs, a win over Preston North End on the final day of the campaign will be enough to guarantee Manning’s side’s place in the top six. Of course, the Robins boss would have liked to have things sewn up with a game to spare but he doesn’t want the supporters, players or journalists to lose perspective of just what he and his players have achieved already this term.

“We just said it through there, if you’d have asked anyone associated with the club before we started the first game at Hull away, which feels forever ago, would you take going into the final game of the season at home to Preston with the opportunity to get in the play-offs being in our hands? Everybody would have snapped your hands off,” the head coach explained to Bristol Live in his post-match press conference.

“I think we must not forget that. Of course, we have to hurt tonight, but we mustn’t forget how much of a terrific job the lads have done, how hard they’ve worked, how well they’ve represented the club and the progress they’ve made. There are so many positives that should be thrown at them.

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“But, like me, like everybody, they want to get it over the line on Saturday.”

Leeds had already secured their spot in next season’s Premier League ahead of Monday evening’s game, with Burnley’s win over Sheffield United on Easter Monday enough to see both Farke’s side and Scott Parker’s Clarets automatically promoted. However, with the three points gained against the Robins, the Whites returned to the top of the Championship, leapfrogging Burnley on goal difference.

Should they beat Plymouth Argyle on the final day of the season, Farke’s side will almost certainly secure the league title unless the Clarets find a way to thrash top six hopefuls Millwall at the Den. While City were clearly second best against the current Champions Elect, Manning was keen to credit his players for putting the Reds in a position where they are competing against some of the division’s biggest clubs and spenders in the table.

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“I think you’re up against the best team in the division that have spent a fortune when you look at it,” said the Robins boss. “They’re a huge club.

“The lads have done a terrific job getting us into the position we’re in and, when you look at what we’re competing against, we’re massively overachieving from so many perspectives. That’s credit to the lads, I think, for the work they do, for how much they commit to what we’ve tried to do and the progress they’ve made.

“Like I’ve said, we have to bounce into the next game, which the group have shown they’re capable of.”

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