Strikers give City boss a selection headache

GERHARD Struber must decide which of Emil Riis or Sinclair Armstrong will lead the line for Bristol City against Stoke City this afternoon - with it not yet clear if the Dane will be best utilised as a starter or from the bench.

- DANIEL CARTER

Emil Riis has been the first-choice striker at Bristol City this season

(Harry Trump/Getty Images)

The Robins travel to the Potteries looking to stretch their winning run since the October international break to four matches. After 12 games, meanwhile, Stoke sit fifth in the Sky Bet Championship, a single place and a sole point behind the fourth-placed Ashton Gate side.

The Robins are set to be boosted by the return of Riis to the matchday squad. The Danish forward missed the win over Birmingham last time out, with the decision taken not to risk the 27-year-old after he had felt his hamstring earlier in the week.

In his absence, Armstrong was handed his first League start of the campaign and scored what proved to be the winner as the Robins ran out 1-0 winners at Ashton Gate. While the 22-year-old’s display impressed Struber and supporters alike, he had fallen behind Riis in the striking pecking order so far this term.

The newfound competition at the top end of the pitch is a prospect Struber is relishing ahead of the weekend's meeting with Stoke, with it far from certain that Riis will immediately replace Armstrong in the starting lineup.