Championship promotion rivals Bristol City and Fulham face off at Ashton Gate in Saturday's early kickoff.

City are winless in four league matches, while the visitors enter the game on the back of successive wins to open up a nine-point gap on their opponents.

Match preview

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One point collected from the last 12 on offer has seen City slide out of the playoffs and the same old questions asked of boss Lee Johnson.

The Robins have been unable to see through promotion challenges in recent times, though they did at least end a three-game losing run in last week's 1-1 draw at Millwall.

Pedro Pereira fired Johnson's men in front at The Den, only for Matt Smith to convert as City missed out on the chance to move back into the top six.

As it is, with just 10 games of the season to go, they find themselves two points behind Preston North End in sixth.

Of those 10 remaining matches, three games are against sides above them, including Saturday's visit of high-flying Fulham.

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The Cottagers are providing the biggest threat to West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United for automatic promotion, but the gap on the two sides above them remains at six and five points respectively.

Scott Parker's men have refound their form again over the past couple of weeks with wins over Swansea City - thanks to a 94th-minute goal - and Preston at Craven Cottage.

They have been held 1-1 in back-to-back away games, though, and have won on their travels just twice in nine attempts in all competitions.

However, Fulham are unbeaten in their last four away league games against Bristol City since a 5-1 defeat in April 1990, winning three of those matches.

Another win at Ashton Gate this weekend will see them all but seal a place in the end-of-season playoffs, though Parker will no doubt still have his sights set on breaking into the top two.

Bristol City's Championship form: LWLLLD

Fulham's Championship form: WDLDWW

Team News

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First-choice stopper Daniel Bentley remains absent with a groin injury, so Niki Maenpaa will continue to operate in goal for the home side.

Marley Watkins and Benik Afobe are City's other two confirmed injury absentees, but Johnson does at least have Niclas Eliasson and Nahki Wells pushing for inclusion.

Famara Diedhiou has scored three times in his last seven outings, meanwhile, and is expected to retain his place upfront.

Fulham will be without hamstring injury victim Joe Bryan for this match, meaning a likely start at right-back for Cyrus Christie.

Aboubakar Kamara boasts the best minute-per-goal ratio of any player in the division to have played at least 500 minutes, and his form could see him rewarded with a start here.

If that is the case, Anthony Knockaert is the favourite to drop down to the bench after failing to play a part in a goal in Fulham's last four matches.

Bristol City possible starting lineup:
Maenpaa; Pereira, Kalas, Baker, Dasilva; Paterson, Smith, Nagy, Eliasson; Diedhiou, Wells

Fulham possible starting lineup:
Rodak; Christie, Hector, Ream, Odoi; Arter, Cairney; Kamara, Reid, Cavaleiro; Mitrovic

We say: Bristol City 1-2 Fulham

Since the start of December, only Hull City (six) have lost more home Championship games than Bristol City (five). The Robins picked up a point in their most recent outing away at Millwall, but Fulham have regained some momentum and we are backing them to win this one.

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