Talking Tactics | Bristol City v Swansea City

Following the 1-1 draw with Watford on Wednesday evening, Swansea City head over the Severn to take on Bristol City on Sunday afternoon (12.30pm).

Ahead of the clash, WhoScored.com preview the match-up looking at what to expect from the Robins, the key battle and a key stat.

What to expect from Bristol City

Liam Manning’s side head into this weekend's round of fixtures off the back of four consecutive league defeats, while they sit just one point above the Swans in 14th place.

In terms of shape, the Robins have stuck by a 4-2-3-1 set-up for the majority of the campaign, with Tommy Conway or Nakhi Wells often tasked with leading the line.

Goalkeeper Max O’Leary is the only player to have played every minute for the home side in the Championship this term, his WhoScored.com rating of 6.58 marks him out as one of the division’s top 10 stoppers.

According to their WhoScored.com statistically-calculated team characteristics, Bristol City excel when it comes to attacking and defending set-pieces, while, stylistically, they enjoy attacking with width, and often along the left side of the pitch.

A key battle

With the Robins’ left-sided presence in mind, Sunday’s key battle is likely to involve winger Anis Mehmeti, who has stepped into Liam Manning’s XI in the absence of the injured Sam Bell.

The Albanian attacker was on target for his second league goal of the season at Ipswich Town on Tuesday evening, and completes more successful dribbles per game than any other Bristol City player this season (1.1).

Swans defender Ben Cubango, then, who often lines up as the right-sided centre-back, could be instructed to help minimise the threat of Mehmeti, particularly his tendency to cut inside from the left.

Cabango, who has started 26 of his side’s 36 league matches this term, is among Swansea’s highest-rated players, with an average WhoScored.com rating of 6.64.

His pass success rate (85.7%) is up there with the likes of Matt Grimes and Jay Fulton, while he wins an average of 2.4 aerial duels per match - a figure only Harry Darling can better this season.

The 23-year-old also makes more clearances than any other Swans player on average (4.5 per game), and his ability to step up and deny space for Mehmeti could prove crucial in this clash.

A key stat

Swansea City and Bristol City sit seventh and eighth respectively when it comes to the goals that each side have conceded, compared with their respective xG against numbers.

The Swans have conceded nearly five goals fewer than expected this season, which would suggest that goalkeeper Carl Rushworth and the defensive line in front of him are doing a strong job at denying their opponents in clear-cut scoring situations.