Lee Johnson reckons it is about time Bristol City players and supporters accept the fact the club could be dragged into a relegation fight. Although City are five points clear of the drop zone, that could all change by the time they play second-placed West Bromwich Albion in front of the BBC TV cameras tomorrow. All eight of the sides beneath the Robins are in action today and, given the likelihood that some of those will pick up points, City could find their situation even more uncomfortable by the time they kick off at Ashton Gate. Although City have drawn more often than they have lost, a disappointing return of two wins from their last 18 games is giving serious cause for concern. Unless that trend can be reversed, and quickly, City will inevitably be dragged into a protracted fight against relegation. And a glance at the fixture list suggests there will be no obvious relief any time soon. Gary Johnson's side habitually find the going tough against Albion, who crushed them 4-1 at The Hawthorns in November, while Portman Road, their destination for the next match against Ipswich Town, has proved anything but a happy hunting ground in recent seasons. Midfielder Johnson, who has recently returned from a successful loan spell at Derby County, recognises the potential dangers. He warned: "We have to accept that, until we get a couple of wins, we are out of the hunt for the play-offs and are closer to a relegation battle. We've been chasing the promotion pack for most of the season without being quite good enough and that has caused the pressure to build up."
Bristol Evening Post
Bristol City defender Bradley Orr is adamant tomorrow's big Ashton Gate showdown against Coca-Cola Championship promotion favourites West Bromwich Albion is a game to look forward to rather than fear. Far from being daunted by the prospect of facing opponents who have lost only once on their travels all season and who appear destined for a quick return to the Premier League, Orr is relishing the prospect of pitting his wits against what he describes as "the best football team" in the second tier. City may be uncomfortably close to the relegation zone, but Orr dismisses suggestions that he and his team-mates are under pressure and claims the opportunity to take on Roberto Di Matteo's in-form title contenders will bring out the best in the Robins. "We're just going to enjoy this game," said Orr. "People talk about pressure and must-win this, that and the other and it's not right. There's no pressure on us - we're playing football for a living and it's the best job on the planet."
Bristol Evening Post
Bristol City manager Gary Johnson insists his side should respect but not fear high-flying West Brom ahead of Sunday's clash at Ashton Gate. Second-placed Albion have lost just two of their last 21 games and make the trip to Bristol to face a Robins outfit who, in stark contrast, have slipped down the table having won just two of their previous 19. The fortunes of the two sides could not be more different but Baggies head coach Roberto Di Matteo has labelled City "very dangerous" and the Italian is expecting a tough test. And Johnson said: "We can go into the match knowing we partially got our game back (in Tuesday's 1-1 draw against Leicester) and the crowd were magnificent on the night."
Teamtalk
Nicky Maynard has declared himself ready, willing and able to line up against West Bromwich Albion in tomorrow's Championship clash at Ashton Gate (2pm). Injured against Coventry a fortnight ago, Bristol City's 11-goal top scorer missed subsequent fixtures at Watford and Sheffield United while recovering from a dead leg. But he announced his return to action with a brief cameo performance in Tuesday's 1-1 home draw against Leicester City and insists he is fit to start tomorrow if selected. Manager Gary Johnson declined to discuss his team selection, but confirmed Maynard's ability to play for 90 minutes should he choose to make changes in attack. A member of the City side beaten 4-1 at the Hawthorns in November, Maynard insists he and his team-mates do not fear West Brom. He said: "They were very good that day and beat us comfortably, but that doesn't mean we're not looking forward to playing them again. We like to size ourselves up against teams like West Brom to see how far we have come and how close we are to being on the same level.
Bristol Evening Post
Roberto Di Matteo has warned Albion to beware the wounded animal when they take on Bristol City tomorrow - as the Baggies preprepare to give up on Jason Koumas. Albion hope to make a loan signing early next week but it is highly unlikely to be the ex-Hawthorns midfielder, who is currently with Wigan.I understand Koumas gave mixed signals about his intentions and there were also some concerns over his fitness. In the meantime, the Baggies visit Ashton Gate hoping to extend their impressive unbeaten away run, having not lost on their travels since their defeat at Barnsley in September. They will be facing Gary Johnson's men, whose form has been dismal of late - just one victory in their last 13 games. But Di Matteo is wary the Bristolians will be desperate to end their run. "They are like an injured animal because they are on a bit of a bad run and they want to finish it," said the boss. "So I think they will be very dangerous."
Birmingham Mail
