Baggies hope to continue a good month when they travel to Ashton Gate

Championship league leaders, West Bromwich Albion head to Bristol City in a huge clash for both sides.

The away side come into this unbeaten their last four games and are currently seven points clear of third-placed Fulham.

However, they did draw 2-2 at home to Nottingham Forest last time out and are in the middle of a difficult run of fixtures, with games against Preston, Swansea, Birmingham and Brentford, follow.

The hosts Bristol City, they have won two of their four matches in February and currently lie outside the top six on goal difference. But they did lose last time out at Leeds, 1-0

Like West Brom, the Robins also have a tricky run of games ahead of them, including Fulham, Blackburn and Forest all to come next month.

Both Lee Johnson and Slaven Bilic, know they cannot afford to drop points if they are to achieve their targets of reaching the Premier League.

West Brom beat Bristol City last time in a 4-1 win at The Hawthorns back in November. However, Baggies’ fans will want to avoid a repeat of their last trip to Ashton Gate in April. Bristol City won 3-2 and were 3-0 up within the first 20 minutes.

Team news

Bristol City have had a set of illnesses over recent weeks, however, Lee Johnson is hoping he has a full squad ahead of their home game with West Brom.

West Brom have only one injury in Jonathan Leko who is out for the rest of the season.

Lee Johnson admits not being favourite plays to his side’s advantage.

“Obviously a top of the league side coming to Ashton Gate, I think, is where we are probably at our best in terms of fan base and everybody else because effectively we’ll be the undedog. We know that we’ve got to do more with our identity against the top sides and believe that we can show what we’re about against those top sides and we’re still fighting and scrapping for every point.

Even though we were poor on Saturday by our own standards, we effectively still had three very good chances to go and equalise.”

Slaven Bilic emphasises the pressure his side has at the top of the League

“It is much easier to be third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh than first or second. They are dreaming. If you read about Forest, they are dreaming they are hoping to get in the top two.

“But when you are top two you have to (win promotion). That is a pressure you have to cope with.

“It’s easier with everything you do to be average. But if want to be best journalist, the best actor, the best surgeon it takes sacrifice.

“Of course you wouldn’t swap, of course you wouldn’t, but it is easier. If you go to Forest website or any team chasing us, it’s always about them dreaming about something.

“Dreaming, hoping. Brentford hoping, this one dreaming. Third is dreaming, the second one has to [achieve promotion]. It is like that but nobody would swap. They would swap with us.”

Head-to-head

Bristol City wins – 15

Draws – 15

West Bromwich Albion wins – 21

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