Harambee Stars Prospect Set to Return for Bristol City Ahead of Middlesbrough Clash

Bristol City manager Gerhard Struber is optimistic that Harambee Stars prospect Zak Vyner could be fit for the upcoming match against Middlesbrough.

However, he concedes the defender's recovery timeline remains uncertain. Zak Vyner was absent from the squad for Saturday's 1-0 loss to Coventry City at the CBS Arena due to a short-term injury.

The defeat, which extended the Robins' winless streak to three games, was compounded by the loss of Mark Sykes to a quad issue, adding to Struber's frustrations.

The decisive moment in a closely contested match came in the second half when Ephron Mason-Clark scored the only goal.

Both teams had hit the woodwork earlier in the game, with Haji Wright and Sinclair Armstrong coming close for their respective sides.

However, Mason-Clark capitalised on a poorly defended corner in the 63rd minute to secure the victory for Coventry.

Ahead of the match, Bristol City had confirmed that both Zak Vyner and Sykes were sidelined. Speaking on their potential return, Struber remained cautious.

"Yeah, I hope that," Struber told Bristol Live when asked if the duo could be available for the Middlesbrough game.

"But we will see. Not everything in this direction is in my hands. Sometimes this needs time. I hope we have both players back around Christmas, and I would like it to be before Christmas."

Bristol City has one more fixture before their Boxing Day trip to West Bromwich Albion, a home game against the high-flying Middlesbrough this Saturday.

Kim Hellberg's side is currently the most in-form team in the Championship, sitting second in the table with 42 points from 21 matches, trailing only leaders Coventry.

Struber believes the week-long break before facing Boro will be advantageous for his squad as they look to reverse their recent poor form.

"Of course, it is good for us," he said. "We can train and go into some details. We can make the players sharp for the next game. We need not only a good performance, but we should have three points in our hand."

While Bristol City faces challenges with injuries to key players Zak Vyner and Mark Sykes, manager Gerhard Struber remains hopeful that the duo could return in time to strengthen the squad ahead of their crucial clash with Middlesbrough.