Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Championship clash between Stoke City and Bristol City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Aiming to further cement their spots in the second-tier playoffs, Stoke City and Bristol City meet for a Championship clash at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Potters picked up a narrow success at the base of Portsmouth last time out, whilst the Robins continued their winning run with victory at the expense of Birmingham City.
Match preview
After seven straight campaigns of midtable finishes since relegation from the Premier League in 2018, Stoke City look set to compete in the upper echelons of the Championship table this time around, with Mark Robins hoping to guide the Staffordshire side back to the promised land.
The Potters have now lost just one of their last six matches in the second tier following a gutsy away display on the South Coast last Saturday afternoon, when a clean sheet for Viktor Johansson and an own goal from Pompey centre-back Hayden Matthews was enough for maximum points.
After collecting their sixth win of the second-tier season last time out, Stoke are currently occupying fifth spot in the Championship rankings ahead of this weekend’s hosting of Bristol City, two points ahead of Preston North End in seventh position.
Conceding just eight goals across 12 league fixtures to date, the Potters boast the joint-best defensive record in the division alongside Rob Edwards’s Middlesbrough, with Saturday afternoon’s hosts allowing just two strikes during their last three contests.
Stoke’s three goals conceded on home soil is also a joint-low tally in the Championship, with Robins’s troops unbeaten in their last three matches at the bet365 Stadium, a spell which includes narrow 1-0 successes over newly-promoted duo Wrexham and Birmingham.
Following the sobering end to last season with a dismal playoff semi-final experience, Bristol City are back on the promotion-chasing horse under the forward-thinking leadership of head coach Gerhard Struber, who has masterminded three straight wins for his side recently.
The latest of those triumphs arrived at their West Country base against promotion contenders Birmingham last weekend, when Sinclair Armstrong netted his first competitive goal since November 2024 to secure three points for the hosts in the first period of the match.
Earning a maximum total of nine points from their last three matches since returning from October’s international break, Bristol City have flown up to fourth place in the Championship standings, just three points behind Edwards’s Middlesbrough side in second.
Alongside league leaders Coventry City and fellow playoff hopefuls Millwall, the Robins are one of three sides in the division who are yet to experience defeat on the road in the second tier, with Saturday’s visitors unbeaten in five games (W3 D2) away from Ashton Gate.
Becoming experts of the counter-attacking style, Bristol City have boasted less possession than their opponents in five of their six Championship victories to date, with Struber’s troops more than happy to soak up pressure before unleashing an assault on the break.
Stoke City Championship form: D D D W L W
Bristol City Championship form: D D L W W W
Team News
Stoke are sweating over the fitness of midfielder Ben Pearson, who picked up a knock during the victory at Portsmouth last weekend.
Definitely on the sidelines this Saturday, Bosun Lawal started the campaign impressively before collecting a hamstring problem.
Yet to kick a competitive ball for the Potters during the 2025-26 season, Championship veteran Sam Gallagher is struggling with a muscular issue.
Bristol City’s defence has fared relatively well over the past few weeks despite a number of notable absentees, including Luke McNally (knee) and Cameron Pring (ankle).
Further up the pitch, Harry Cornick (groin) and Jason Knight (groin) are occupying beds in the Robins’ medical room ahead of this weekend.
Stoke City possible starting lineup:
Johansson; Wilmot, Talovierov, Phillips, Cresswell; Pearson, Bae, Manhoef, Baker, Thomas; Mubama
Bristol City possible starting lineup:
Vitek; Tanner, Dickie, Atkinson; Sykes, Randell, Vyner, Borges; Twine, Mehmeti, Armstrong
We say: Stoke City 1-1 Bristol City
Despite being a tough nut to crack in the Championship this term, Stoke need to be extremely wary of Bristol City’s counter-attacking threat.
The Robins’ unbeaten away run could come under serious threat this weekend, although we feel that they will escape Staffordshire with a point.
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