Bristol City and Liam Manning travel to Bramall Lane looking as they look to overturn Sheffield United’s three-goal lead in the play-offsRob Dickie and Joe Williams will both miss Bristol City’s clash with Sheffield United(Image: EFL and Getty Images)

Liam Manning has confirmed that Bristol City have been unsuccessful in their appeal of Rob Dickie’s red card, with the defender set to miss the Robins’ play-off semi-final second leg clash with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

The Reds travel to the Steel City on Monday evening, where they will face the difficult challenge of overturning a three-goal deficit, having suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Chris Wilder’s side in the first leg at Ashton Gate on Thursday. Goals from Harrison Burrows, Andre Brooks and Callum O’Hare ensured that the Blades took control of the tie, with Manning’s side now needing to win by a three-goal margin to even force extra time at Bramall Lane.

Dickie started alongside Zak Vyner at the heart of the Robins’ defence on Thursday evening, but was shown a straight red card for what referee Oliver Langford adjudged to be a cynical foul on Kieffer Moore in the City penalty area. Manning labelled the decision a “major error” in his post-match press conference and as a result, the Reds submitted an appeal to attempt to get the centre-back’s suspension lifted.

READ MORE: Every word Liam Manning said on Bristol City play-off loss, referee ‘concerns’ and Dickie appealREAD MORE: Bristol City chief confirms Robins’ appeal plan after Rob Dickie red card in play-off defeat

However, the head coach has confirmed that the 29-year-old will be ruled out of Monday evening’s game, as will Joe Williams, who is set for an extended spell on the sidelines having suffered a serious ankle injury which forced him off in the first half of the first leg of the tie.

“Unsuccessful, so unavailable,” Manning simply replied when asked about the outcome of the appeal against Dickie’s red card. “The rest all came through it ok, so from that perspective, it’s just Joe and Rob that are unavailable.

“Joe is a bad one,” the head coach continued. “He snapped a couple of ankle ligaments.

“It’s incredible the fact that he managed to play on for a couple of minutes and did what, a 40-yard sprint before coming off. Unfortunately, we’ve lost Joe.”

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Although Thursday night’s meeting was far from successful from a City perspective, supporters inside Ashton Gate were boosted ahead of kick-off by the news that both Cam Pring and Harry Cornick had recovered sufficiently from their respective injuries to take their place on the Robins’ substitutes’ bench.

Pring hasn’t featured for the Reds since he suffered a hamstring injury in the first half of Manning’s side’s Easter Monday defeat to Luton Town, while Cornick’s last outing in red and white came all the way back in March with the attacker also sidelined by a hamstring injury which he sustained in training.

In the end, neither player was introduced at any stage of the first leg loss, with Haydon Roberts the man to step into the backline after Dickie was sent off. Although both returnees are not understood to be at full fitness at this stage, Manning is adamant that they are in a better position now than they were a matter of days ago.

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“There’s a possibility they could get minutes, yeah,” the City boss explained when asked if it were possible either Pring or Cornick could play an hour or more of football on Monday. “Of course, you’re at that stage of the season and the importance of the game.

“When you look at it, for so long now I’ve had to manage a tight squad, a small squad. It’s been challenging at times to do that, but all the way along we’ve had to take risks that, for me, are calculated and we’ll be doing that tomorrow night.

“I’m desperate to go into the game and give absolutley everything to obviously overcome a difficult challenge. But Pringy and Corns have obviously had an extra couple of days and are in a better spot than they were pre the home game.”

READ MORE: Chris Wilder responds to Liam Manning’s red card verdict as Sheffield United beat Bristol CityREAD MORE: What Bristol City fans did after play-off loss as risks of winter transfer window now realised