Match Preview | Cardiff City vs. Bristol City
Cardiff City welcome Bristol City to Cardiff City Stadium in the Severnside derby on Saturday afternoon (04/03), 12.30pm KO.
OPPOSITION FOCUS | IN THE DUGOUT
Bristol City’s current manager is Nigel Pearson, who has been in the role since April 2021.
In his playing career, Pearson represented the likes of Shrewsbury Town, Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough.
Pearson became manager of Leicester City in his first spell in 2008, where he guided them to the League One title in his first season at the club.
He also went on to win the Championship title during his second spell with the Foxes, coming in the 2013/14 season.
Having departed the King Power Stadium in June 2015, Pearson has since had spells at Derby County, OH Leuven and Watford, prior to making the move to Bristol City.
OPPOSITION FOCUS | KEY PLAYERS
The Robins’ top scorer this season is striker Nahki Wells, who has 11 goals to his tally this season.
The attacker averages a goal every 220 minutes, with a shot accuracy of 48%, whilst also contributing with six assists.
Wells heads into this weekend in form, having found the net in each of his last two league games, both coming from the penalty spot against Sunderland and Hull City.
Also posing a huge threat so far this year has been 20-year-old forward Tommy Conway, who came through the youth ranks at the club.
He has netted nine goals so far this term, as well as four assists, which is his most prolific campaign to date.
CLUB CONNECTIONS | FIVE FAMILIAR FACES
City’s Callum O’Dowda will be facing his former club this weekend, for whom he represented between 2016 and 2022, making 160 league appearances. Since signing for the Bluebirds in the summer, the Republic of Ireland international has impressed, netting against Reading, Middlesbrough and Wigan Athletic.
Former City midfielder Marlon Pack is another to make the move from Bristol City to the Bluebirds. Pack spent six years at Ashton Gate between 2013 and 2019, before signing for City. Having departed the Welsh capital in the summer, Pack now features for Portsmouth in League One.
Winger Albert Adomah had a three-year spell with the Robins, where he was named the club’s Player of the Year in 2011. During his loan spell with the Bluebirds in 2020, Adomah was a popular figure amongst the City fans.
Another to represent both clubs is midfielder Lee Tomlin, who spent the 2016/17 season at Ashton Gate, before moving to the Bluebirds. The 2019/20 campaign was his most prolific in a City shirt, scoring eight Championship goals.
Centre-back Aden Flint accumulated over 200 league appearances for Bristol City between 2013 and 2018, scoring 36 goals. After spending the 2018/19 campaign at Middlesbrough, Flint was signed by City in 2019, going on to spend three years in the Welsh capital, before moving to Stoke City this summer.
CITY FLASHBACK | PILKS LEADS CITY FIGHTBACK AT ASHTON GATE
The Bluebirds faced Bristol City back in January 2017 in a pulsating Severnside derby, which saw City produce a fantastic fightback.
A Brian Murphy own-goal saw the Robins take the lead in the second-half with Joe Bryan's effort coming back off the bar and hitting the unfortunate goalkeeper. City were awarded a penalty with just over 15 minutes left on the clock, with Anthony Pilkington making no mistake.
Striker Tammy Abraham restored the hosts’ advantage just three minutes later, leaving the Bluebirds with an uphill task in the final ten minutes.
Neil Warnock’s men showed immense character however, with Kadeem Harris levelling once again in the 82nd minute, sneaking in at the back post to head home.
With the score at 2-2 heading into the final five minutes, Pilkington stepped up with the winning goal from 25-yards, stunning Ashton Gate and sparking huge celebrations from a brilliant away end.
