![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1767016213_43_0_Bristol-Rovers-v-Bromley-Bristol-UK-26-Dec-2025.jpg\")
(Image: Will Cooper\/PPAUK)<\/p>\nBristol Live’s predicted Bristol Rovers team to face Barnet as Steve Evans’ side look to pull away from the League Two relegation zone<\/p>\n
06:00, 29 Dec 2025Updated 09:59, 29 Dec 2025<\/p>\n
(Image: Will Cooper\/PPAUK)<\/p>\n
Ben Thompson\u2019s 92nd-minute goal on Saturday condemned Bristol Rovers<\/a> to their sixth consecutive league defeat, leaving the Gas still without a win in the fourth tier since late September.<\/p>\n It looked like Rovers were going to end their winless run at half-time against Bromley, with Jack Sparkes and Fabrizio Cavegn giving Steve Evans\u2019<\/a> side a two-goal lead after a dominant first 45.<\/p>\n Shaq Forde\u2019s second yellow eight minutes after the interval led to an onslaught from Andy Woodman\u2019s side, though, with the high-flying Ravens overturning the deficit to keep the Gas firmly in relegation trouble.<\/p>\n Next up for Evans is a home game against Barnet on Monday – an opponent that demolished Rovers 4-0 earlier this month<\/a>. Adam Senior, Nnamdi Ofoborh, Mark Shelton, and Callum Stead scored the goals for Dean Brennan\u2019s side, and it could have been more as Luke Southwood pulled off some impressive saves for the visitors.<\/p>\n The Gas have improved since then, especially under Evans, and they\u2019ll be keen to get revenge for that dismal performance at Barnet.<\/p>\n With three strikers likely to be sidelined, though, the 63-year-old will have an extremely tough team selection, with points much needed in the club\u2019s fight for survival.<\/p>\n With that said, here is how we think Rovers will set up against the Bees\u2026<\/p>\n READ MORE: Bristol Rovers owners break silence and issue long awaited statement<\/a>READ MORE: \u2018Atrocious\u2019 – Steve Evans on Shaq Forde red card and Bristol Rovers Boxing Day defeat<\/a>Goalkeeper and defence<\/strong><\/p>\n As already mentioned, Southwood impressed in the first head-to-head between the two sides this season, despite conceding four goals. That probably tells you more about the level of the performance, but the Northern Ireland international is one of the first names on the team sheet currently. He will start against Barnet.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Taylor Moore<\/a> has played out of position in the first two games under Evans, starting at right-back against Crewe and Bromley. Given that Tom Lockyer only came on for 15 minutes and Alfie Kilgour might be out for this one, it seems likely that Moore will be given the shirt on the right side of Rovers\u2019 defence again.<\/p>\n Kilgour was forced off in the 75th minute against Bromley, and after the defeat, Evans was asked about the severity of any potential injury. He said: \u201cWe\u2019ll know better tomorrow, obviously.<\/p>\n “You don\u2019t want to lose any of your senior players, Alfie goes off and you know, I\u2019ve not looked at the goals but I look at them as two goals that we\u2019ve conceded in the middle of our goal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI need to look at whether that\u2019s personnel or whether it\u2019s just good play by Bromley.\u201d<\/p>\n It seems touch and go whether the 27-year-old will be fit for this one, but a potential solution would be to play Lockyer alongside Mola, if the former Premier League<\/a> defender is back to full fitness. We think he\u2019ll start with Lockyer instead of Kilgour, given there are two games against Shrewsbury Town and Barrow to come in quick succession in the New Year and keeping the captain fit will be crucial to Rovers’ chances in both.<\/p>\n Bristol Rovers have Steve Evans now in charge as they look to battle push up the League Two table – and you won’t miss a beat with our free newsletter.<\/p>\n All the latest news, views, interviews, gossip and analysis concerning the Gas, delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n It’s completely free and you can sign up HERE<\/a><\/p>\n Finally, Jack Sparkes will start as the left-back. He was brilliant against Bromley, especially in the first-half, and is a crucial player in Rovers\u2019 attacking play on the flanks, given the injuries to Macauley Southam-Hales and Joel Senior on the other side.<\/p>\n Midfield<\/strong><\/p>\n The midfield three of Josh McEachran<\/a>, Kamil Conteh and Joel Cotterill worked extremely well in the first-half, with the trio complementing each other with control and energy to dominate the visitors. After the game, McEachran was asked about this trio when speaking to Bristol Live<\/a>. He said: \u201cThere\u2019s a few of us, to be fair, that work really well. When Alfie Chang\u2019s been in there as well, we felt there\u2019s a very good balance. We\u2019re all very different players, but we always bring something different.<\/p>\n \u201cBut yeah, I thought the midfield three worked really well today with me and Kam [Conteh] kind of deeper and Joel [Cotterill] further forward, but if he brings Changy in on Monday, everyone\u2019s more than capable of playing. So, no, it was good. I thought it was a really good balance.\u201d<\/p>\n With continuity severely needed as Rovers look to string a run of results together, we think Evans will stick with this midfield three against Barnet.<\/p>\n Attack and striker<\/strong><\/p>\n Evans opted for a front three of Forde, Cavegn and Luke Thomas in the first-half, and given how dominant Rovers were, it seems likely that a straight swap between the now-suspended Forde and Bryant Bilongo is the most logical solution to maintain some continuity in terms of the formation. If Evans opts for Bilongo, we’ll think he’ll start on the left, with Thomas occupying the other flank, while Cavegn maintains his place as the central striker.<\/p>\n An alternative solution is to start Ollie Dewsbury alongside Cavegn in a 4-3-1-2 – the shape Evans used at Crewe – but we think he’ll go for Bilongo, who came on for Cotterill just after the hour mark in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat.<\/p>\n Promise Omochere, Ellis Harrison, and Callum Morton all look set to miss this one, with Evans stating after the game<\/a>, “I’m not sure any will be ready for Barnet. Maybe as we go forward to Shrewsbury and Barrow. Maybe one or two could be ready to, but we’ll have to wait and see. We\u2019re at the beck and call of the management team, but certainly by the fourth, we’ll have hopefully added to the group anyway.<\/p>\n “You can’t play any player on the first, any new player. They’re not eligible. So myself and Ricky will be working hard, even yesterday we were on the phone for long spells and we’re back in tomorrow and post the boys meetings and various stuff and training cooldowns, we’ll sit and we’ll go to work again.”<\/p>\n Join Bristol Rovers Live’s Whatsapp community for all the biggest Bristol Rovers stories sent straight to your phone<\/strong><\/p>\n Bristol Rovers Live<\/a> is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.<\/p>\n Through the app, we\u2019ll send the Bristol Rovers news, live match coverage, team news, transfers, fixtures, analysis and more straight to your phone.<\/p>\n To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select \u2018Join Community\u2019.<\/a><\/p>\n No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Bristol Live<\/a> team.<\/p>\n We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. 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