From one bogey team to another. Having not won at Kenilworth Road for 21 years, Bristol City now travel to Deepdale where their last victory took place in 2011.
A David Clarkson double, Brett Pitman and Andy Keogh secured the points in a 4-0 win against a Preston North End side who were rooted to the bottom of the Championship. Since then it's been four draws and four defeats.
Admittedly not as barren a run as against Luton Town, but City and Preston have been consistent bedfellows in the Championship and, as we all know, the Robins have always found them a tough nut to crack.
Ryan Lowe took over in the north west in early December and has injected a new energy and belief in the team and after beating West Brom 2-0 in the week they've lost just one of six Championship games under the Scouser.
But City should not be daunted and even though they couldn't follow up their victory over Cardiff with a win in Bedfordshire, there was much to take from the performance and a sense that not too much needs to change at Deepdale. Here is how we think they'll line-up...
Goalkeeper and defence
Events at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night certainly indicated that if Pearson was to make another change in goal it would be now as Max O’Leary’s slightly tentative behaviour at times in claiming crosses, in-part, led to the Hatters’ two goals.
Dan Bentley is the greater physical presence and although his punch-first style isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, restoring the understood No1 and club captain for Preston would make some sense.
After all, a lack of defensive resources means the manager can’t change much else in that area so if he wants a mentality shift, this is the position to assist it.
However, Curtis Fleming’s words on Thursday, “if the manager feels like he needs to make a change, but it's not in his mind. He's not thinking about that at the moment” certainly indicates O’Leary will keep the gloves at Deepdale for his seventh successive appearance in all competitions.
And while we’re unaware of any transfer interest in Bentley ahead of Monday’s deadline, should he be left out again - rightly or wrongly - it will further fuel that particular strand of conversation.
As mentioned, ahead of O’Leary there isn’t much Pearson can change with Rob Atkinson still sidelined with back and calf problems, Nathan Baker likely to be out for the season and new signing Timm Klose unlikely to be match fit.
The Swiss would be a common sense addition to help improve City’s aerial efficiency and dominance in defence, but he hasn’t played competitively since last May and will more than likely start for the Under-23s against Cardiff on Tuesday to help improve those levels of endurance.
That means a back three of Zak Vyner, Tomas Kalas and Cam Pring and it was notable against Luton that the Czech played as the central member of the trio, whereas before it had been Vyner there.
Fleming did allude on Thursday to Pring’s lack of experience in the role, both in his awareness of positioning and competing in the air, and it is a potential weak spot for the Robins - in-part why Klose has been recruited - but hopefully with another game under his belt, and the faults at Luton sufficiently analysed, the defence can function more as a cohesive unit at Deepdale.
Midfield
In terms of who’s not available, it will be a huge surprise to Andy King or Matty James anywhere near the squad with the former undertaking further scans on his hamstring injury and City still mindful the latter’s foot problem hasn’t properly healed.
That could mean Alex Scott and Han-Noah Massengo remain as City’s two holding midfielders (although they do a bit more than just that). Both were impressive against Luton in midweek and were a major influence in how the Robins dominated possession for large parts of the match, plus also bringing real energy and defensive commitment out of possession.
But the Joe Williams question widens Pearson’s options for that area of the field. If the 25-year-old is deemed ready to start after his 20-minute cameo against Luton, it allows Scott to either be pushed higher up the field or move back to right wing-back, giving City a natural right-footer (although he is comfortable with either) as opposed to Jay Dasilva who, to his credit, has performed perfectly well but just looks more comfortable on the other flank.
However, there is every chance that City don’t want to risk Williams, for fear of a fresh or the same problem flaring up, as before, and he needs an extra week to be eased back into the thrust of the Championship.
From a position of distance, as we occupy, where we’re not privy to the data nor how Williams has looked in training - although Fleming said he’s worked “hard” this week - it’s impossible to give a fully accurate forecast.
Over on the left, Pearson could move Dasilva there, should Scott be starting at right wing-back, and the 23-year-old enjoyed nine minutes in his favoured position after Callum O’Dowda was substituted before being he was then replaced by Tommy Conway.
Outside of the hammering at Fulham, O’Dowda has been consistent to a point but hasn’t perhaps delivered the level of production required. That being said, he does average at least one key pass a game in this stint in the side and is worth persevering with as he still provides a strong outlet and penetration in the final third.
However, to counter the counter point, so to speak, maybe the frequency of the games will count against the Republic of Ireland international and given his previous lack of durability, and his diligence on the opposite flank, Dasilva will be rewarded with a start on the left.
As to the advanced midfield role, Andi Weimann will obviously start, no matter what, and he scored his fifth of the year from his “false 10” role at Luton but depending on the plan for Scott or Williams could find himself in attack today.
Attack
Fun fact: Bristol City’s three opponents over the last eight days - Cardiff, Luton and Preston - all occupy three of the Championship’s top four places for long balls per game. They also occupy three of the top five for set-piece goals.
Granted, Ryan Lowe hasn’t been in place long enough to truly form a style or identity around his team but they have been, for the most part, direct and happy to concede possession to the opposition.
This is perhaps why Chris Martin will start a third successive game for City, given the Robins’ issues at the back in defending set-plays and overall lack of height outside of Kalas and Vyner. The same logic can also be applied at the other end and without Martin, Scott doesn’t have a lot of targets to aim at with his corners and free-kicks.
Martin with almost certainly be supported by Antoine Semenyo, although Fleming chose to highlight the impact Nahki Wells made when he came on at Kenilworth Road, and the Bermudian did have a decent chance towards the end of the game.
Semenyo has played a lot of football over the last 4-5 weeks after an extended layoff and giving Wells a shot through the middle, in his preferred central role, makes some sense.
But then again the Wells-Weimann-Martin combination didn’t exactly produce positive results when it was trialled throughout October and into November so there is reason to suggest Semenyo keeps his place against a physical Preston defence.
Bristol City (3-4-1-2): Max O’Leary; Zak Vyner, Tomas Kalas, Cam Pring; Alex Scott, Joe Williams, Han-Noah Massengo, Jay Dasilva; Andi Weimann; Chris Martin, Antoine Semenyo
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