NIGEL Clough says that he wants his team to take the game to a Bristol City side who are desperate for points as they push for a play-off place.
Saturday’s visitors are still pushing for promotion but their form has dipped of late and they have only won one of the last six games, the same as the Brewers.
Clough says: “Their form has dipped since the cup games (against Manchester City) and it has been a bit of a distraction. Lee Johnson will have emphasised how important the league games are but sometimes the cups can take an awful lot out you. When you are going for promotion and have a good cup run then it can take it out of the players.
“But if you look at their overall season, considering where they were last season, then it’s testament to the club and the chairman by sticking with Lee that they are in a position to get promotion.
“Their form hasn’t been great of late, but every game is an opportunity not just this one.”
Clough says his team will aim to be on the front foot and take the game to Bristol City from the kick off.
“We will try and do that and look to get that early goal. But if you are in Bristol City’s camp you would say they haven’t won at home in all this time so let’s give them no encouragement. They will think that if they get the first goal our confidence will wilt.
“There are a lot of teams in the top half struggling to win games as it’s getting to the nervy part of the season. You can say it’s the same for us as we are down there being nervy as well. But we are playing in a league we shouldn’t be in, so we have an amount of freedom to go out and play as well.”