City still have an outside chance of making the League One Play-Off's whilst if Rovers win they will secure their place in League One for another season.
Previous Meetings:
Earlier in the season on a Tuesday night Rovers lost 1-0 at Ashton Gate on a Tuesday night. Former Middlesborough player Luke Wilkshire scored the only goal in the 65th minute.
Last season at Ashton Gate, Rovers were easily defeated 4-0, again on a Tuesday night, as Rovers managed just five shots all game. Brooker and Wilkshire getting two goals each.
Bristol City have in fact only ever won once at Prenton Park, but unfortunatly for Rovers fans that was last year. A 1-0 win on January 10th 2005 in front of the Sky Camara's was a severe blow to Rovers automatic promotion hopes after they had had a difficult Christmas period.
Vital Stats:
In 14 meetings at Prenton Park, Bristol City have won just once
The last 5 meetings at Prenton Park between the two have ended either 1-1 or 1-0
Bristol City average under one goal per game at Prenton Park (13 goals in 14 games)
Only once in 30 meetings have the sides met in April previous to Saturdays game
Bristol City have only once completed the double over Tranmere
The Form Book:
Tranmere Last 6 Home Games: DLWLWL
Bristol City Last 6 Away Games: WDWLWW
Tranmere go into this game with inconsistency being the key word. They have still managed to win two at home in a row just twice this season, at Christmas over Yeovil (4-1) and Rotherham (3-2) and at the start of the 2005/06 season against Oldham (4-0) and Swindon (1-0).
However, this season they have not lost consecutive home games so if you wanted a good sign I suppose that has to be it as they lost their most recent home game 1-0 to Nottingham Forest.
Recent home result have been completely unpredictable. The 3-0 thrashing of Port Vale was followed by a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest whilst a 2-1 defeat to Walsall came on the back of a 4-1 drubbing of Chesterfield.
Games against Barnsley and Hartlepool both went with Rovers only picking up 1 point against Hartlepool as they failed to score in either game, which ended 1-0 to Barnsley and 0-0 against Hartlepool on Valentines day.
Just for the record which I did mention last week, Rovers have still only managed one home win on a Saturday since 22nd January 2005. This was the 4-1 drubbing of Chesterfield.
Bristol City meanwhile come into this game on a roll. Gary Johnson has begun to turn things around at Ashton Gate and with three games remaining his Bristol City side lie in 8th place. They too still have an outside chance of making the play-offs as they are just 6 points behind Nottingham Forest who occupy the final play-off spot.
City's recent results have seen them elevated to that eigth position. They have won four on the spin and have been defeated just once in their last 11 games.
In this 11 game run they have picked up 26 out of a possible 33 points, irronically three points more than Rovers have picked up in the whole of 2006 (18 games).
Recent away results have seen Bristol City take three points back to Ashton Gate after wins against Scunthorpe (2-0), MK Dons (1-0), Walsall (3-0) and Hartlepool (2-1) along with draw a 1-1 draw against Bradford City.
However, the result that stands out most on their fixture list was at Ashton Gate against Gillingham on 18th March when Bristol City won 6-0.
Team News: Tranmere will once again be without Mike Jackson who serves the final game of a three match suspension along with Calvin Zola and John Achterberg who have thigh injuries. Stephen O'Leary starts the first of a three match ban in the stands following his sending off vs. Colchester on Monday and their are fitness worries over Ian Sharps and Sam Aiston. Matt Murray could return.
Brian Little is expected to chop and change the team again, playing either a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 formation which have served him indifferently this season.
Jones' Prediction: Tranmere Rovers 0-1 Bristol City