A defeat on the road at Blackpool at the weekend means the pressure's on Nigel Pearson's side to deliver a performance and result against strugglers Reading on Wednesday.
City's defensive weaknesses were exposed again on the coast in a disappointing 3-1 defeat to leave the manager calling out certain players for their individual mistakes.
The good news is they host a Reading side on a downward spiral having lost their last nine, including a defeat to Non-league Kidderminster Harriers in the FA Cup.
On paper, Wednesday's contest is likely to be a goal glut as two of the Championship's worst defensives to go head-to-head with Reading conceding 21 in their last six matches.
However, Pearson must find a way to prevent his side from picking the ball out of the net after Blackpool exposed The Robins' weaknesses by scoring from a cross and another set-piece.
If Reading have done their homework, they will surely be bombarding City's box with deliveries and Pearson will need to find a way to stop their game plan or else they could equal a 60-year record of conceding two or more goals in 10 consecutive matches.
Assistant Curtis Fleming hinted a change of formation could be a possibility in a bid to become more solid so here's how we think The Robins could shape up on Wednesday night.
Goalkeeper and defence
The goalkeeping situation continues to rumble on with club captain Dan Bentley keeping the substitute bench warm since being dropped for the QPR defeat in December.
Max O'Leary has stepped in and although he hasn't made any howlers, his goals against record will surely be keeping him up at night.
Pearson brought him in to help encourage his side build from the back but 19 goals conceded in his seven league matches could call time for a rethink.
Assistant Curtis Fleming revealed on Monday that Pearson is not afraid to swap his keeper which is a change in tact from before the Preston contest when he suggested the manager had no plans to leave out O'Leary.
Bentley's overall presence could help a defence that is obviously struggling in confidence so don't be surprised to see him reintroduced in a bid to stop the goals.
The three at the back tactics haven't worked recently and Fleming's openness to change formation could see City switch to a flat back four.
Tomas Kalas and Timm Klose will undoubtedly stay in the middle but Zak Vyner could be introduced at right-back with Cam Pring filling the void on the left.
Rob Atkinson and George Tanner are both injured while Rob Cundy is back in training following a niggle but is unlikely to make his full debut in such a crucial contest.
Midfield
Joe Williams is surely itching to go from the start after making appearances from the substitute bench in the last three matches.
He got another 45 minutes under his belt at Blackpool and City looked more assured after his introduction, although their opponents were happy to sit back and soak up the pressure with the game already won.
You can understand Pearson's eagerness to wrap him in cotton wool following his return from injury especially with Andy King and Matty James both on the treatment table but he is expected to come back into the middle and partner Han-Noah Massengo.
The tweak in formation suggests playing with two wide men and two banks of four would certainly add more cover in the wide positions and therefore help prevent crosses from coming in.
The versatile Alex Scott has featured as a right midfielder on four occasions this season and is the most likely name to hug the touchline, particularly with the quality of his deliveries.
That poses the question of who will occupy the left and after Callum O'Dowda was subbed off at half-time in the defeat at Blackpool, the midfielder could be rested.
O'Dowda has struggled for form and failed to clear his lines for Blackpool's opener on Saturday before Pearson's comments on individual errors costing his side.
Jay Dasilva has enjoyed a renaissance in the side, despite playing in a right wing-back role but is much more suited to playing on the left.
He is likely to hug the left touchline and has the technical ability to produce in an attacking sense with the defensive attributes to get back and help Pring out.
Attack
Antoine Semenyo is the man in form with three goals and three assists in his last six games and therefore picks himself in attack.
But the question remains who plays alongside him. Chris Martin is another man in form with three in his last four but he unsurprisingly looked leggy in the defeat against Blackpool.
Martin, 33, has played the full 90 minutes in each of those matches that have coincided in just two-and-a-half weeks. His aerial ability is crucial in defending set-pieces but a rest will undoubtedly do him good for the trip to Swansea on Sunday.
Andi Weimann remains the club's top scorer with 14 goals but Nahki Wells is also pushing for a start following his cameo against Blackpool.
He scored a consolation in the final few moments that came off the back of two goals for the Under-23s against Cardiff in the week after missing out on a deadline loan move away from the club.
Fleming was full of praise for Wells in Monday's press conference for knuckling down and avoiding transfer distractions but he still hasn't started a game since November 2.
That means Weimann will surely partner Semenyo in attack allowing Pearson with options to come off the bench.
Bristol City (4-4-2): Dan Bentley, Zak Vyner, Tomas Kalas, Timm Klose, Cam Pring; Alex Scott, Joe Williams, Han-Noah Massengo, Jay Dasilva; Antoine Semenyo, Andi Weimann
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