Bristol City face a late decision on the fitness of Lorent Tolaj for their key Championship trip to Bolton Wanderers this Saturday. Manager Michael Skubala confirmed the 24-year-old forward will undergo a test after missing training this week with a hip contusion sustained in last weekend's 0-0 draw at Stoke City.
Tolaj had only just returned to the squad after a three-game absence but suffered a heavy blow to his hip in a collision with goalkeeper Viktor Johansson. Skubala stressed the issue is not considered long-term but requires careful assessment before the journey to the Toughsheet Community Stadium. In a further blow, striker Elijah Adebayo will definitely miss the next couple of games after picking up a quad strain in the recent defeat to Sheffield United. The club's medical staff will continue to assess Tolaj's hip throughout Friday, with a final decision on his availability expected before the squad departs for Lancashire.
Defensive boost
There is more positive news regarding defender Rob Dickie. Initially feared to be facing a season-ending injury back in September, the centre-back has returned to training after five weeks out and is now in contention for the Bolton match. His potential return offers a significant boost to a defensive unit that has conceded 15 goals in 12 league games this season.
Skubala reported that the rest of the squad is largely healthy, with Luke McNally fit and building his consistency. Midfielder Noah Eile, however, is continuing his recovery from a recent illness and is not yet available for selection. The manager also confirmed that there are no other fresh injury concerns from the midweek training sessions.
Context of a tight table
The injury updates arrive as Bristol City look to improve on a recent run of one win in their last five Championship outings, a sequence that reads DLLDW and has left them 14th in the table with 15 points. They travel to face a Bolton side sitting just four points behind them, making Saturday's encounter a significant one in the mid-table scramble. Skubala acknowledged the importance of the fixture, stating his team needs to be more clinical in front of goal after a series of draws.
After the Bolton fixture, City face a demanding schedule with back-to-back home games against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Norwich City before the November international break. The manager added that while Adebayo's absence is a setback, it provides an opportunity for other players in the squad to step up during this congested period of the season.
Background and full detail: bristolpost.co.uk
