George Tanner missed Bristol City’s win over Middlesbrough having been ruled out of the Robins’ defeat to Coventry through injuryBristol City defender George Tanner in action against MK Dons at Ashton Gate(Image: Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Bristol City were hopeful George Tanner would return to training on Monday, Gerhard Struber confirmed last weekend, with the Robins boss providing the latest on the defender’s fitness after he missed the Reds’ win over Middlesbrough.

Tanner was left out of City’s matchday squad as they ran out 2-0 winners over Boro at Ashton Gate on Saturday afternoon. A first-half Emil Riis strike and a second-half Rob Atkinson header proved to be enough for the Reds to claim all three points and move within two points of the play-off places.

Riis opened the scoring with a little over quarter of an hour played when he squeezed a powerful effort from the edge of the penalty area under Solomon Brynn. Kim Hellberg’s side rallied having fallen behind, but Atkinson put the result beyond doubt when he headed Scott Twine’s corner home on 62 minutes.

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Struber had been optimistic in the days before Middlesbrough’s trip to Ashton Gate that Tanner would be fit to return from an injury which had ruled the defender out of City’s defeat to Coventry City a week prior.

Unlike Zak Vyner and Atkinson, who both returned from injury to play a part, Tanner was not named in the matchday squad, but his head coach expects him to be back in training ahead of Boxing Day’s trip to West Brom.

“We need every single player [so that] we can rotate a little bit more,” Struber told Bristol Live on Saturday afternoon. “I think Georgey will also be back on Monday in the training, so we have, in the end, more and more players back.

“Of course, this is necessary with all the games and with all the expectations that we have together.”

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The injury news coming out of the Robins’ camp over the course of the last few days has been mixed to say the least. Although it will be a boost for each of Tanner, Vyner and Atkinson to be available, once again, over the course of the festive period, uncertainty remains around the condition of Radek Vitek.

Having missed Saturday’s win with a knee injury, the Manchester United loanee was due to see a specialist on Monday, with such a visit expected to provide greater clarity on just when the 22-year-old may be ready for selection once again.

Struber also confirmed last week that Max Bird would be afforded more time to recover from a calf injury that has seen him ruled out since September.

There were some supporters concerned that Anis Mehmeti and Riis would be joining the midfielder on the treatment table, after both players were withdrawn in the second half of the Robins’ win over Middlesbrough.

Mehmeti made way for Atkinson just nine minutes after the restart, while Riis was spotted signalling to the bench before he was replaced by Fally Mayulu on 74 minutes. Fortunately, neither call was the result of injury, with illness and fatigue the causes of the changes.

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“This was not a tactical one,” the head coach said on the decision to withdraw Riis. “He has, in the end, some cramps. This was, in this direction, necessary.

“It’s nothing, I would know it now,” the City boss laughed when asked if that was a cause for concern. “But he cramps, and this was the reason.

On Mehmeti’s condition, Struber added, “We could see that he was ill most of the week and was not ready to train. Also, we have to be careful; normally, with infections like that, the risk of injury is also growing.

“So, we deal also today, with more directions, in a risky way, but we have in the end, not more injuries and we are ready for West Brom.”

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