Bristol City injury list and return dates as Liam Manning waits for Ashton Gate reinforcements

The majority of the Bristol City squad will be enjoying a well-deserved rest after a difficult run of fixtures in the lead-up to the international break.

Liam Manning’s side are next in action against Burnley on Saturday, November 23, when they welcome Scott Parker’s promotion-chasing Clarets to Ashton Gate.

With two weeks between fixtures, the Robins boss will be hoping to have a few players back fit and available after his side was down to its bare bones during the 2-0 win over Norwich City at Carrow Road.

We’ve taken a look at the status of each injured player and when they could potentially return.

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Mark Sykes

The Ireland international hobbled off just minutes into City’s 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United at Ashton Gate in the penultimate match before the international break, with an injury that ruled him out of the win over the Canaries.

However, supporters may not have to wait very long to see him back out on the field, with Manning telling BBC Radio Bristol after the game the injury “wasn’t too bad” with the hope being he will return “soon”.

Whether not that will mean the versatile winger is ready to start against Burnley at Ashton Gate remains unclear, but it wouldn’t be a shock to see the 27-year-old included in the matchday squad.

Possible squad return: Burnley (h) - November 23

Kal Naismith

Another player who was forced off in the late defeat to the Blades, Naismith has had a difficult time with injuries so far this season, only managing to start two Championship matches.

Manning admitted ahead of the trip to Carrow Road that he felt the situation was “not looking great” with the 32-year-old set to undergo a scan to assess the severity of the injury.

Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol after the win over Norwich, the City boss said: “Naisy’s going to be a little while. Probably four to six weeks which given the nature of it is what I’d expected time-wise.”

Even if Naismith does manage to return to the first-team fold in the next four weeks, he will almost certainly miss games against Burnley, Watford, Plymouth Argyle and potentially Portsmouth.

Possible squad return: Sunderland (a) - December 10

Scott Twine

Twine’s last outing in a City shirt came at the start of October as the former Burnley man started and played 84 minutes in the 1-1 draw with Severnside rivals Cardiff City at Ashton Gate.

Before the international break, Manning told BBC Radio Bristol that the attacking midfielder was “heading in the right direction” with a return to training planned during the international break.

How the attacking midfielder reacts to that step-up in recovery will likely dictate whether or not he returns to the matchday squad against his former side. If all goes to plan he could make his first appearance in City colours in over a month.

Possible squad return: Burnley (h) - November 23

Ross McCrorie

Injuries interrupted the Scotland international’s start to the season, but McCrorie had seemingly managed to turn a corner up until City’s 0-0 home draw with Leeds United.

The full-back was substituted after just 35 minutes and was visibly frustrated as he threw his shin pads to the side of the pitch, with Chris Hogg revealing he had picked up a brand-new hamstring issue.

"McCrorie has done his other hamstring,” said Hogg. “We’re hoping it’s more mid-term than long-term at the moment so I think that will become apparent again in the next couple of days.

“But the signs early on are that it’s more mid-term which is good news for him and for us. He’s been through the mill a little bit in terms of the last season he’s had.”

It is unclear when the 26-year-old will be ready to return to the fold with both Manning and Hogg reluctant to put a timescale on his recovery

Sam Bell

Bell has almost become a bit of a forgotten man this season, with injuries limiting him to a single cameo appearance in the Championship so far this term.

The 22-year-old recovered from a severe hamstring injury which ended his campaign early last season, to start the Robins’ Carabao Cup defeat with Coventry City but picked up a similar issue moments before halftime.

Fortunately, the forward’s latest setback didn’t require surgery and while Manning didn’t put a timeframe on his return, he did tell BBC Radio Bristol that Bell was “getting closer all the time” after the win at Norwich.

Hopefully, the City boss can be a bit more specific when he faces the press ahead of the clash with Burnley. Until then it is hard to predict when the Bristol-born attacker will return to the fold.

Joe Williams

The all-action midfielder looked to have finally shaken his injury-prone tag having penned a new deal at Ashton Gate this summer, but was forced off in the first half of City’s 3-1 win over Preston at Deepdale.

Since then, there has been little news about Williams’ condition with Manning admitting that the 27-year-old is expected to be out for a “considerable amount of time”. Until the Bristol City boss provides some more insight into the nature of the midfielder’s issues, it is almost impossible to predict when he could return.

George Tanner

Like Williams, Tanner had been an ever-present in Manning’s side this season and had really begun to establish himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet at Ashton Gate. That was until the trip to Deepdale.

The right-back was also substituted in the first half with the Reds boss confirming it could be a while before he is back in City colours. As was the case with Williams, it is almost impossible to guess when Tanner will be back in a matchday squad.

Ayman Benarous

The young attacking midfielder simply cannot catch a break. Benarous’ last competitive appearance in City colours came back in 2022, with successive ACLs keeping him on the sidelines.

The 21-year-old has since suffered a string of hamstring issues that have further delayed his return, the latest of which occurred in an Under-21s clash with Sheffield Wednesday in August.

“He’s broken down again, unfortunately,” Manning said. “In the away game last week, he felt his hamstring again. It’s tough, it’s really, really tough for him, and for us.”

Benarous hasn’t been spotted in any U21 squads since that latest issue and it would be unfair to even speculate a return date for the youngster as he continues his own programme while entering the final months of his contract.

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