Barnsley vs Bristol City. Sky Bet Championship.
Oakwell StadiumAttendance12,178.
Watch live on Sky Sports Football from 7pm on Friday night; kick-off is at 7.45pm
Saturday 2 November 2019 07:21, UK
Barnsley face Bristol City in the Sky Bet Championship on Friday night, live on Sky Sports Football.
Barnsley centre-back Aapo Halme is in contention for a return. The Finland Under-21 international has missed the last two matches through injury but could slot straight into the Tykes' defence on Friday evening.
Fellow centre-back Bambo Diaby is set to overcome a knock sustained during Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Huddersfield. Austrian goalkeeper Samuel Radlinger is fit after playing in an Under-23 match on Monday, as did compatriot forward Patrick Schmidt, who put himself in contention after scoring the final goal of the 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday.
Bristol City boss Lee Johnson will watch from the stand as he serves a one-match touchline ban at Oakwell. Striker Famara Diedhiou is also suspended for the trip to South Yorkshire, but there is positive injury news for the Robins.
Czech Republic international defender Tomas Kalas (hamstring) and midfielder Korey Smith (foot) have returned to full training, while Taylor Moore suffered a knee problem against Wigan on Sunday but the trio are expected to be in the squad. Adam Nagy (ankle) is unlikely to be risked having not played since September 9, while full-back Jack Hunt (hamstring), Jay Dasilva (leg fracture) and Benik Afobe (knee) are sidelined long term.
Barnsley head into Friday night's clash still bottom of the Sky Bet Championship table and without a win since the opening day of the season. They have, however, picked up two points from their last three games since sacking manager Daniel Stendel.
Bristol City, meanwhile, have lost just once since the opening day. They drew last time out at home to Wigan and have picked up seven points from their last four games.
Any positivity that shrouded Oakwell at the start of the season has largely evaporated now as they find themselves bottom of the table heading into Friday's clash, and their long search for a manager shows that the Barnsley job isn't a wholly appetising one to potential candidates.
Even a victory would not lift them out of the relegation zone, while a point or more would only see them hop above fellow crisis club Stoke. A real weakness at both ends of the pitch suggests the Tykes may be heading straight back to League One.
The last seven league meetings between Barnsley and Bristol City have produced 33 goals at an average of 4.7 per game.
Bristol City have scored at least twice in 14 of their last 15 league games against Barnsley (W8 D5 L2), doing so in each of their last seven against them (19 goals).
Barnsley are winless in 13 league matches (W0 D5 L8), last enduring a longer run between January and April 1959 (15 matches).
Bristol City have lost just one of their last 14 matches in all competitions (W6 D7 L1), losing 3-0 in their last away Championship game against Luton Town.
Eight of the last nine goals conceded by Barnsley in the Championship have been scored in the second half.
Since leaving Barnsley in February 2016, Lee Johnson has faced the Tykes on four occasions - all in the Championship - and lost none of those games (W2 D2 L0).
Performances may have improved slightly for Barnsley since the departure of Daniel Stendel, but results haven't yet. They are still bottom of the Championship and without a win since the opening day of the season.
Bristol City are right in the thick of the battle for the play-offs, it is just about whether they can last the course this time around. They should have enough to beat Barnsley.
David Prutton predicts: 1-2 (9/1 with Sky Bet)
