Sky Bet Championship betting preview, free tips, team news & where to watch

Football tips, best bets and predictions for Barnsley v Bristol City in the Sky Bet Championship.

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Football & Main Event, 7.45pm Friday

Best bet

Bristol City
2pts 8-5 Betfair
Back this tip with bet365

Team news

Barnsley
Goalkeeper Sam Radlinger, out since August, may start. Aapo Halme (calf) could return after a two-week absence.

Bristol City
Jack Hunt, Adam Nagy, Jay Dasilva and Benik Afobe are injured. Famara Diedhiou is suspended. Tomas Kalas and Korey Smith are back in training.

Match preview

Bristol City will go second in the Sky Bet Championship if they can win at Oakwell and mistake-strewn hosts Barnsley certainly appear there for the taking.

Errors galore have blighted the Tykes this season, leaving them bottom of the division having conceded 27 goals – the highest number in the league.

Caretaker manager Adam Murray oversaw draws against Swansea and West Brom in his first two matches since replacing the luckless Daniel Stendel. However, those glimmers of hope were dashed by a wretched performance at Huddersfield last weekend when they were flattered by a 2-1 defeat.

Two clean sheets in 14 sums up their problems and they haven’t won in 14 fixtures since a shock opening-day success over Fulham.

All of that contrasts markedly to what is unfolding at Ashton Gate where former Barnsley boss Lee Johnson is poised to mastermind another promotion challenge.

Johnson has been tweaking his system and shuffling personnel, partly due to injuries, but the upshot is that Bristol City are going great guns with just two losses this term and they look the value bet at Oakwell.

This is a game which looks likely to have goals in it. Each of the last seven showdowns between these teams have produced at least four goals while City’s seven road trips this term have yielded 23.

It’s 4-7 that both teams to score, something that has happened in each of Barnsley’s last six matches as well as ten of Bristol City’s 14 games.

Key stat

Four of the last six meetings between these sides have ended 2-2.

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