Liam Manning has confirmed Marcus McGuane is in contention to feature for Bristol City in their clash with Oxford United but admits Cam Pring is still a couple of weeks away from returning from injury.

The Robins travel to the Kassam Stadium on Saturday lunchtime as they look to end a seven-match winless run away from Ashton Gate and further cut the gap to the play-off places against Gary Rowett's side.

Oxford currently sit 16th in the Championship table having won promotion from League One via the play-offs last year and come into this weekend's clash off the back of an eight-match unbeaten run in the league.

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Pring hasn't featured for City since their New Year's Day clash with Plymouth Argyle at Home Park. The left-back was forced off after 42 minutes against the Greens with a hamstring issue that Manning suggested would keep him sidelined for the rest of January. However, it looks like the 27-year-old could miss a reasonable chunk of February as well.

"He's still a couple of weeks," Manning admitted in his pre-match press conference when asked how close Pring was to a return. "He's been doing some light stuff on the grass.

"He's moving in the right direction, he's just still going to be a couple of weeks."

One player who could well return to the matchday squad is former Oxford midfielder McGuane. The midfielder sustained a concussion in the Reds' FA Cup defeat to Wolves at Ashton Gate which not only forced him off against the Premier League side but also ruled him out of City's defeat to Coventry City.

McGuane did travel with the squad to Hillsborough as the Robins drew with Sheffield Wednesday and was with the team for their win over Blackburn Rovers last time out however, he was not named in either matchday squad. With the size of the playing group reduced following Kal Naismith and Fally Mayulu's exit, the midfielder is once again ready to be involved against Rowett's side.

"Yeah definitely," Manning insisted when asked if the former Oxford man was in contention to face his former club. "Marcus has been great since he came in. He knew it was quite an opportunity, but it goes from an opportunity to merit and I think he's done that with the performances he's put in.

"Leaving him out of the squad was difficult and I had such a good conversation with him earlier in the week, I think he's massively matured in just his understanding of situations. You're not in the squad, but it doesn't mean you're not rated or valued or going to play an important part. He'll definitely come into contention of being back in this week."

Naismith's exit, partnered with Rob Atkinson's loan move to Portsmouth earlier in the window has left Bristol City rather short of defensive cover heading into Saturday afternoon's game. Rob Dickie, Luke McNally and Zak Vyner are the only fit, natural senior central defenders available, while Haydon Roberts, Ross McCrorie and George Tanner are capable of filling in, if and when required.

One potential solution that has been mooted has been young defender Josh Campbell-Slowey. The 19-year-old has been in and around the first-team squad this season while also playing for City's Under-21s and while Manning feels he is ready to step in if required in defence, he is also still in the process of recovering from an injury.

"He's similar to Pringy to be fair, he's still a couple of weeks," explained the head coach. "He was on the AlterG Treadmill yesterday, he's out on the grass tomorrow. He's in and around everything we're doing, I expect to probably have him back in a couple of weeks as well.

"I've consistently said that he's someone, since pre-season to be fair, I think his level's really grown, I think he's really improved. A big bit with the young lads is not necessarily the high levels they can produce because the level of potential they all show gets them to a level, part of it when they come across is the trustworthiness, the reliability, doing the basics, the focus and he got to a really good level in training where he was seen as a first-team player.

"Jamie Knight-Lebel was very similar last year where he was accepted into the group because of the level he shows every day. Josh was in a really good spot, it was unfortunate he picked up the injury, but again he's one of those where I'm sure he'll come back hungry and ready to go."

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