Bristol City v Wolves: Hungry Wolves can extend table-topping advantage

Bristol City v Wolves
Saturday 30th December, 17:30
Live on Sky Sports

Robins continue unbeaten streak

Bristol City extended their unbeaten streak to seven (winning six in that sequence) with two second-half goals to beat Reading on Boxing Day. City moved into second thanks to goals from Jamie Paterson and Lloyd Kelly following an opening 45 minutes in which neither goalkeeper had to make a save of note.

Johnson's interval team talk did the trick as the Robins could have rubberstamped the success in more convincing fashion had the hosts been more clinical in forward areas. And now the League Cup semi-finalists are determined to keep up their hot streak on Saturday evening.

Home manager Lee Johnson says his side "need to do a job for the league" by beating Wolves in this first against second clash at Ashton Gate and claimed the contest was much more important than their quarter-final League Cup triumph here over Manchester United earlier this month.

League leaders in fine fettle

Nuno Espirito Santo's pacesetters are now eight points clear at the top of the Championship despite being held to a 2-2 draw at Millwall on Boxing Day. Wolves have picked up eight wins from a 10-match unbeaten spell (W8-D2-L0) since late October and look the real deal.

The Old Gold had not conceded a goal in four matches prior to their trip to The Den but Wanderers fans can shrug off the result, knowing the last 12 teams to top the second-tier on New Year's Eve have all gone on to win automatic promotion.

Nuno has no new injury or suspension concerns for Saturday and the division's top scorers and meanest defence should be well set-up to collect another positive performance in their Premier League promotion push.

Match Odds

Bristol City 3.00 have beaten Wolves 2.54 in their last two meetings at Ashton Gate and the Robins have also found the back of the net in their last 10 encounters with the Old Gold. Lee Johnson's troops also gave their visitors one of their sternest examinations this season, back in September.

City twice came from behind, then briefly led themselves, before having to settle for a 3-3 draw at Molineux and home supporters will hope to see another keenly-contested contest on Saturday evening.

The duo have both lost just three times this season in 24 Championship matches - but two of the Robins' defeats have arrived at Ashton Gate against top-eight sides Leeds and Preston. It's fair say those two aren't in the same calibre as Wanderers and the league leaders are fair 1.80 shots in the Draw No Bet market.

Goals

Both Wolves and Bristol City represent the Championship's two top goalscoring teams this season and with a collective average of 2.65 goals per-game, Over 2.5 Goals backers will be keen to support a repeat around the 2.10 mark.

Indeed, Over 2.5 Goals has banked in eight of the hosts' nine outings when welcoming top-six clubs of late while four or more goals plundered in six of those fixtures.

However, only three of Wolves' last 10 matches have produced Over 2.5 Goals winners with only two of eight trips to teams in 17th and above returning profit for goal-heavy punters.