The 11 players set to miss Bristol City v Burnley | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at which players look set to be sidelined for Bristol City v Burnley

The return of the Championship sees two sides vying for promotion go head-to-head as Bristol City welcome Burnley to Ashton Gate.

The Robins are something of a play-off outsider at the moment, returning from the international break outside the top six, but they're starting to show signs that this season could finally be the year they break in.

They've lost just one of their last 10 Championship games, with that sole defeat coming against joint-leaders Sheffield United.

Contrast that with Burnley who, while it would unfair to suggest are in freefall, certainly aren't playing out of their skin at the moment, a point emphasized by the fact they've not scored from open play in their last four games.

With Scott Parker now coming under growing pressure, he'll be desperate to get back among the wins this weekend.

Here are the players both managers will be unable to call upon on Saturday, though.

Bristol City - Joe Williams

Bristol City will definitely be without Joe Williams this weekend, and for the foreseeable future, after Liam Manning confirmed he's suffered a nasty Achilles injury.

Manning said he's been to see a specialist in London, but unfortunately, the Robins will have to cope without him over the busy festive period.

Bristol City - Sam Bell

Although Sam Bell is nearing a return to first team action, Manning confirmed that this weekend will come a little too soon for him.

He's in line to play some minutes for the U21's in the not too distant future, so it shouldn't be too long before he's back on the pitch.

Bristol City - Scott Twine

You'd have to go back to early October for Scott Twine's last run-out in a Bristol City shirt, and Manning insisted he is in no rush to get Twine back into the fold.

He did claim he could feature this weekend against his former club, but was keen to keep his cards close to his chest.

With a busy schedule coming up, any inclusion has to be well-thought-out.

Bristol City - Kal Naismith

Kal Naismith missed the Robins' 2-0 win against Norwich through injury, but with his recovery believed to be progressing well.

Manning claimed he "is not far away" but didn't give a definitive answer on whether he will or won't play this weekend.

Bristol City - Ross McCrorie

One man who definitely won't be featuring this weekend is Ross McCrorie, who according to Manning is still "a couple of weeks away".

He hasn't played since the end of October but looks set to make a timely boost ahead of the festive fixtures.

Burnley - Manuel Benson

Manuel Benson limped off injured against Blackburn Rovers back in August and hasn't featured since thanks a calf/Achilles injury.

Injuries have plagued his time at Turf Moor, and having barely played any football across the last 18 months due to injury and non-selection, it's hard to know if he'll ever be the same again.

Burnley - Jordan Beyer

Another player whose Burnley career has been plagued by injury, Jordan Beyer is approaching a year since his last Clarets appearance.

There appears to be no set date for his return, with a recurring issue aggravated post-surgery, so Burnley will undoubtedly take their time with him.

Burnley - Aaron Ramsey

Another man who's coming up to a year without making an appearance is Aaron Ramsey, who suffered a serious knee injury against Arsenal in February.

He returned to training in September, but has never played for the U21s or made a matchday squad since as Burnley take their time with his return.

Burnley - Lyle Foster

Burnley are certainly feeling the absence of Lyle Foster, but they'll have to wait a little longer to see their striker back in action yet.

It was hoped he'd be fit to return for this game, but another setback means he'll miss out here.

Burnley - Nathan Redmond

The lesser-spotted Nathan Redmond has barely featured for Burnley since he signed last summer, and while that can't solely be attributed to injuries, it can be currently.

He underwent knee surgery in January and hasn't played since, although he did feature in a Central League reserve game against Blackburn Rovers last week.

Burnley - Hjalmar Ekdal

Hjalmar Ekdal also featured in that game and is himself edging closer to a return, but with precious little football under his belt, it's unlikely to be here.

The Swede suffered a hamstring injury on international duty over the summer and his Clarets career has been plagued by injury.