Following a run of eleven league games without a win, City have picked up three in the last eight fixtures, but still find themselves second from bottom of the Championship table and three points off safety.
However, a win against the high-flying Foxes tomorrow could see them move out of the bottom three.
Fellow relegation candidates Peterboro and Sheffield Wednesday have tricky away fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Hull respectively while foot of the table Barnsley host a strong Leeds side.
But while three points would be very welcome, the confidence that a win (against a Leicester side who have won the last three games and put six past Huddersfield in their last league fixture) would bring, is immeasurable.
I haven't had the pleasure of a trip to watch the Robins since they lost at home to Charlton back in November and couldn't understand why a squad - which is moderately talented - seemed to lack such collective self-belief. And manager Derek McInnes has already told the club's website:
“When we last played them I felt they were one of the best sides in the league. If we allow them to get their tails up they can be a formidable team and they proved that when they dispatched Huddersfield last time out.”
(http://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/article/20130111-mcinnespreleicester-590944.aspx)
So McInnes is very aware of the impending threat, but I suspect that the crowd will really need to play a positive role now if they want to watch Championship football next term.
The Bristol chief signed midfielder Liam Kelly this week to bolster his squad and striker Sam Baldock is also available following an injury. However, there are still question marks over defenders Richard Foster who are both trying to get fit enough to figure while midfielder Marvin Elliott is definitely out and tricky winger Albert Adomah is on international duty with Ghana.
Leicester boss Nigel Pearson welcomes back striker Jamie Vardy who picked up a heel injury in a game just before Christmas, but he'll be vying for the striker's role with former Bristol City loanee Chris Wood and the experienced David Nugent who already has twelve league goals to his name this season.
While now is the time for Bristol to start edging their way up the table, Nigel Pearson will be hoping that his boys can put together a run that sees them grabbing one of the two automatic promotion places. He told the club's website:
“We’re doing ok, but we need to make a move on the teams above us. From here on in, every game will be very important, but, as the games become fewer and fewer, it’s important we do as much as we can to affect the sides above us.
“Automatic promotion is still our target, whether we can achieve that or not remains to be seen, but we need to put ourselves in a good position.
“Cardiff have done exceptionally well to create a big gap between themselves and third place particularly, but we have to make sure our own form is such that we put pressure on teams above us.”
Come on you blues!
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