Bristol City vs Birmingham preview

Monday 25 February 2019 18:22, UK

Bristol City will make a late decision on Jack Hunt's fitness for the visit of Birmingham.

The defender has been working his way back from a calf injury and manager Lee Johnson told the club's website he "could be close", though he will consider giving Hunt an under-23 game first to build his fitness.

Korey Smith remains some way from a return following a knee injury - the midfielder is doing only straight-line running drills in training. Johnson will watch from the directors' box as he serves a one-match touchline ban, with assistants Dean Holden and Jamie McAllister on duty in the dugout.

Birmingham boss Garry Monk almost has a full squad to select from. No new injury concerns emerged from Saturday's 2-2 draw at home to Blackburn.

Defender Marc Roberts (calf) and midfielder Charlie Lakin have been back in light training but are not expected to be involved at Ashton Gate. Birmingham are eighth, six points behind their sixth-placed opponents.

Opta stats

Bristol City have won their last two league matches against Birmingham - they had won none of their previous 14 against the Blues (W0 D3 L11).

Birmingham haven't lost back-to-back away league matches at Ashton Gate against Bristol City since November 1993.

Bristol City manager Lee Johnson has won four Championship games against Garry Monk - against no manager has he won more (also four against Mick McCarthy).

Birmingham manager Garry Monk has lost more Championship matches against Bristol City (4) than he has against any other team.

Bristol City have won each of their last four home league games; the Robins haven't won five in a row since February 2015 when in the third tier.

Birmingham's Che Adams has scored 10 league goals in 2019 so far; two more than any other Championship player.