Stoke have the joint-best defensive record with only eight goals conceded
Bristol City are unbeaten away and have best defensive road record of two goals conceded
Recommended bet: Draw
Fifth take on fourth at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday afternoon, as surprise package Stoke host in-form Bristol City with just a point between the two sides.
The Potters bounced back from a 2-0 defeat at fellow high-flyers Millwall with a 1-0 win at Portsmouth last weekend, while the Robins have picked up maximum points in their last three games to put a four-game winless run firmly to bed.
The latest Stoke City vs Bristol City odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
Team News
The hosts could be without influential midfielder Ben Pearson, who faces a late fitness test after sustaining a knock in last weekend’s narrow victory over Portsmouth at Fratton Park.
Former Celtic defender Bosun Lawal was unavailable for all four of Stoke’s fixtures in October, having struggled with an ongoing hamstring strain.
Sam Gallagher has yet to make an appearance this season due to a severe muscular issue, leaving English youth international Divin Mubama to continue leading the line.
Bristol City’s considerable injury list has reduced in recent weeks, but Gerhard Struber is still missing several key players. Luke McNally has not featured since incurring an anterior cruciate ligament injury in February, while fellow Irishman Jason Knight is still recovering from a groin issue.
Although it is believed Cameron Pring will return before the end of the calendar year, the industrious full-back recently suffered a setback in his rehabilitation from a long-term ankle injury, while versatile forward Harry Cornick also remains sidelined.
The latest Stoke City vs Bristol City odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
The stats
No Championship side has conceded fewer goals than Stoke this term, with the Potters’ net breached on just eight occasions so far.
Mark Robins’ men have often failed to find a clinical edge in the final third though, only registering 13 goals in their first 12 Championship outings, less than any other top-10 outfit.
Bristol City have only lost twice in the league all season, and both of those defeats came at Ashton Gate.
Only all-conquering Coventry have earned more points on the road than the Robins, who have played one away match fewer than the Championship’s runaway leaders.
The latest Stoke City vs Bristol City odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
Prediction
As both teams continue to extend their positive sequence of results, it is difficult to pick a winner ahead of this weekend’s meeting in Staffordshire.
The visitors travel up the west coast in buoyant mood, having won each of their last three Championship fixtures following a disappointing loss to QPR.
Meanwhile, Stoke have only tasted defeat once since the end of September — when they were ironically also beaten by QPR — and seem likely to preserve their early-season momentum.
In addition to being just one place apart in the Championship table, these two opponents are evenly matched across several other metrics.
The Potters have committed 120 fouls to Bristol City’s 121, while Stoke are one ahead in the yellow card count. The Robins have unleashed seven fewer shots on target, but have hit the woodwork on one extra occasion.
It is tough to split the two sides and that is likely to play out on Saturday, with not too many goals at either end either.
Back the draw at 43/20 with Livesore Bet.
The latest Stoke City vs Bristol City odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
