It's perhaps not particularly surprising given Bristol City's struggles throughout autumn and winter but the last time the Robins experienced victory at Ashton Gate was more than three months ago.
A 2-1 victory over Preston North End by virtue of a Rob Atkinson brace was the moment, and since then it's been three draws and four defeats, in all competitions, including the nadir of losing to Lincoln City in the League Cup.
Birmingham City are never the ideal opponents when you're trying to break yourselves out of such a funk with the Robins having beaten them just once in their last nine meetings dating back to the start of the 2018/19 season.
City are just three points above the relegation places in the Championship and although their goal difference should just keep their head above water, should they lose in BS3 and results elsewhere go against them, a victory seems increasingly overdue.
Here's how the two squads are shaping up ahead of the contest...
Bristol City
Nigel Pearson has confirmed that he’ll be without forwards Andi Weimann and Tommy Conway (both hamstring) after they left the field during last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Swansea City in the FA Cup. Weimann has been given a recovery time of around three weeks but Pearson was unable to confirm anything surrounding Conway.
He did reveal the 20-year-old won’t require surgery but having previously conceded his injury looks worse than Weimann’s, the earliest we can expect the Scotland Under-21 international to return seems to be around mid-February.
Defenders Tomas Kalas and Kane Wilson (both knee) are back in training having not played since October but a return this Saturday would seem unlikely.
Kalas appears further down the line in terms of a first-team return but Pearson indicated last week the Czech Republic international may require an Under-21 fixture first before being thrown straight back into Championship action.
Young playmaker Ayman Benarous has been ruled out for the rest of the season after re-rupturing his ACL in December and undergoing surgery.
Birmingham City
Blues head coach John Eustace is set to welcome back striker Scott Hogan to his squad with the established frontman having been out since November 11 with a hamstring. The 30-year-old has scored five goals in 12 games against Bristol City, making them his favourite opponents across his career.
Centre-back Dion Sanderson is close to a return after sustaining a hamstring injury against Hull City on December 30 but it seems unlikely that the Wolves loanee will be expected to start, with Eustace rating him “touch and go”. That decision is partly aided by the arrival of Kevin Long on loan from Burnley with the Irish likely to make his debut in the Blues defence.
Reda Khadra could also make his first appearance for the club having signed this week on a temporary deal from Brighton & Hove Albion with Pearson admitting several times he would have liked to have signed the young German attacker.
George Hall has been ruled out for another two weeks due a hamstring problem while Eustace has confirmed that defender Harlee Dean and midfielders Gary Gardner and Nico Gordon won’t be fit for Ashton Gate.
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