Bristol City will be looking to extend their 2023 unbeaten streak when they play host to Wigan Athletic in the Championship on Wednesday evening.
While the home side currently sit seven points adrift of the playoff places, Wigan remain in the relegation zone despite a rare victory at the weekend.
Match preview
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Having failed to take Bristol City forward for much of his two-year reign, Nigel Pearson may have been getting frustrated with his work at Ashton Gate.
However, it has been a different story since the turn of the year, the Robins putting together a nine-game unbeaten streak in all competitions.
Although they will be excited about a showdown with Manchester City in the FA Cup fifth round, it is Bristol City's league form which is more important, and they will now feel that a bid for the playoffs is increasingly possible.
Twelve points have been collected from a possible 18, while back-to-back league wins for the first time since the start of September have been recorded with triumphs over Preston North End and Norwich City.
While Bristol City remain in 13th position, chasing down the seven-point gap to the top six is now deemed achievable, particularly ahead of a game against a relegation-threatened opponent.
That said, the argument will be that Bristol City are facing Wigan at the wrong time with Shaun Maloney accumulating four points from his first two matches in charge.
On the back of a goalless draw at Blackburn Rovers, Wigan delivered in their potentially-pivotal clash with Huddersfield Town to post a 1-0 victory.
Despite their previous eight-match winless streak, only goal difference keeps Wigan in the relegation zone at this stage, and there is growing optimism at the DW Stadium.
Nevertheless, Wigan are without an away win in the Championship since October 1, a period spanning as many as nine fixtures.
Team News
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While Pearson is likely to opt for an unchanged Bristol City starting lineup, he has options available to him if he wants to introduce fresh legs.
Andreas Weimann is fit again after injury, while new arrivals Harry Cornick and Anis Mehmeti are each awaiting their first starts for the club.
Maloney finds himself in a similar predicament with his Wigan selection, with alterations unlikely but possible given the turnaround and upcoming schedule.
If Tom Pearce is deemed fit enough to start, Ryan Nyambe could switch to right-back, taking the spot of Tendayi Darikwa.
Ashley Fletcher is also an option, but Danel Sinani, Will Keane and Callum Lang appear likely to keep their places.
Bristol City possible starting lineup:
O'Leary; Tanner, Atkinson, Vyner, Pring; Williams, James; Sykes, Scott, Bell; Wells
Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:
Amos, Darikwa, Hughes, Whatmough, Nyambe; Sinani, Power, Tiehi, McClean; Keane, Lang
We say: Bristol City 2-0 Wigan Athletic
Given the early improvements under Maloney, Wigan will believe that they can cause the upset in this fixture. However, we would not back against Bristol City against many second-tier opponents right now, leading us to predict a hard-earned home win.
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