Struber not expecting defender Atkinson back before Christmas

BRISTOL City will be without Rob Atkinson until Christmas, Gerhard Struber has confirmed, after the defender was left out of the Robins’ matchday squad for their midweek defeat to Blackburn Rovers.

- DanCARTER

The 27-year-old, pictured, was missing from the starting lineup for the first time in the Championship this season as City were beaten 1-0 by Rovers at Ashton Gate on Tuesday night. The Robins slipped to their first back-to-back league losses under Struber, as Yuki Ohashi’s first-half strike proved to be the difference in BS3.

The defeat to Rovers followed a miserable 5-1 loss away to Stoke City last weekend, during which Atkinson had been forced off with a hamstring injury. Although at that stage, the details of the defender's issue were unclear, Struber was able to provide a more definite update on Tuesday.

“We had a scan and the situation looks that he is out, I would say, until Christmas,” the head coach told the Bristol Post in his post-match press conference. “He will not be available.