- Stoke have lost their last two away matches and are on a three-game losing streak.
- Bristol City have won one and lost one of their last two at home.
- Bristol City have scored 2.0 goals per game at home against Stoke, who average 1.5 as visitors in the head-to-head record.
Robins’ men are a disciplined outfit
The form of Bristol City has been a bit up and down of late with one win, two draws and two defeats from their last five games. The Robins drew 2-2 at Southampton, a game in which they played a typically slow tempo under interim boss Roy Hodgson, who took charge in March 2026.
Bristol City’s previous result was a 2-1 defeat away at Birmingham City, so they may be in a better mood to come into this clash with Stoke.
And Hodgson’s return to Ashton Gate should add another layer of intrigue, as he seeks to stabilise Bristol City's end to the season.
Under Hodgson’s tutelage, Bristol City have become more disciplined and solid, preferring to sit in a compact shape and play in a ‘second gear’ as Hodgson has put it himself.
It has allowed players like Scott Twine to flourish and he has been a key focal point of their attack with 11 goals in 44 Championship appearances in 2025-2026. New signing Sam Bell has provided a boost up front too, scoring two in his last five appearances and providing a different type of threat to the team.
Stoke are on a losing streak
Stoke have 55 points from 45 games, four fewer than Bristol City in 13th. Mark Robins’ men have lost four and drawn one of their last five, suffering back-to-back 1-3 defeats at home to Millwall and Portsmouth in their most recent games.
Robins has installed a more pragmatic, structured style at Stoke and has done an excellent job in rebuilding the club since his appointment in January 2025. The Potters prefer to have the ball, but will not take unnecessary risks and always try to build their attacks from the back. They have conceded 26 goals in 22 away league games so far, an average of 1.18 per game.
Bristol City to get the job done
With Stoke in a rut and Bristol City playing at home, the Robins are more likely to pick up the win at around 47/50 than their away visitors, who could easily take something from the game if they were on a better run.
But Hodgson’s emphasis on getting the ball back and keeping things tight will ensure Bristol City keep Stoke at bay for large parts of the game and their experience and quality in the forward line should be enough to see them through. One or the other will find the net at least once and we’re taking Bristol City to do the business on home soil.
Bristol City average 1.41 goals per home game in the Championship, and also concede 1.41 per home match. A similar result looks likely here, so we’re going for BTTS No and Over 2.5 goals at around 31/50.
