Bristol City vs Stoke predictions: Uninspiring Ashton Gate draw to end season
Aidan Perkins
Bristol City are 13th but could finish as high as 11th
Stoke City are down in 17th, eight points clear of relegation zone
Recommended bet: Draw
Two teams safe in mid-table, but both woefully out of form, meet at Ashton Gate when Bristol City entertain Stoke City on the final day of the Championship season on Saturday.
The Robins could yet end up 11th in the table if they win and other results go their way, but they have failed to find a victory in any of their last four games, while the Potters, who are 17th, are on a five-game winless run.
The latest Bristol City vs Stoke City predictions are available on LiveScore Bet
Team news
Roy Hodgson is set to bow out as Robins interim boss after this game and the former England manager may opt to make changes to give some youngsters and fringe players a rare chance to impress.
Max Bird, Robert Atkinson and Luke McNally are all ruled out for the hosts due to injury.
Similarly, Potters boss Mark Robins may opt to field some of his less regular players on the final day, but Tomas Rigo, Bosun Lawal, Aaron Cresswell, Maksym Talovierov and Ben Wilmot are all still absent for the visitors.
The stats
Bristol City are on a four-game streak without a win, while Stoke have not won any of their last five matches.
The Potters have lost six straight games away and the Robins have lost four of their last five home games.
Four places (13th-17th) and four points (59-55) separate the two teams in the Championship.
Stoke won the earlier meeting between the teams 5-1 in November.
The latest Bristol City vs Stoke City predictions are available on LiveScore Bet
Prediction
Both Bristol City and Stoke appear to have been 'on the beach' for a few weeks now. With the pair free from relegation issues, but also with little chance of making the play-offs, their seasons have meandered to a disappointing conclusion.
Without a win since April 6, the Robins have recently lost to Norwich and Birmingham and drawn with QPR and Southampton, while the Potters have not picked up three points since a somewhat unconvincing 2-0 home win over bottom-club Sheffield Wednesday at the start of the month.
With one more game of the season to go, it is to be hoped both will raise their levels for this Ashton Gate contest, although the feeling is they could simply cancel each other out with little motivation on show and not much to play for other than pride.
The hosts will at least want to make amends for a 5-1 loss at Stoke back in November so are likely to try and force the issue more but, ultimately, this could end up all square with entertainment at a premium.
Score Prediction: Bristol City 1-1 Stoke
Recommended bet: Draw at 13/5 with LiveScore Bet
