A PLAY-OFF place is still within our own hands despite two disappointing results over the Easter weekend, writes Will Collins

A draw with Reading on Good Friday was followed by defeat at Sheffield Wednesday on Easter Monday and City now lie in eighth position – two places off the play-off zone. However, we are only one point behind sixth-placed Derby who visit Ashton Gate this Saturday (3pm) and have a game-in-hand over seventh placed Middlesbrough, at Millwall next Tuesday.

Saturday’s game versus Frank Lampard’s Derby County is perhaps the biggest game City have played at this level since the 2008 play-off final against Hull City at Wembley. It is a bona fide six-pointer and a game City can ill-afford to lose. The good news is that Derby have yet to record an away win in 2019, though this is countered by City’s patchy home form that has seen us win just one of our last six league games at Ashton Gate.

Derby may feel a point would not be such a bad result for them on Saturday as they have a superior goal difference and would remain ahead of us in the table, whereas for City this feels like a must-win game if we are to finish sixth. Although Middlesbrough haven’t been in great form recently their two remaining games against Reading, who are safe from relegation, and Rotherham, who will likely be relegated by the time they play Boro, look very winnable. If they do win both games then we will need to take at least seven points from our remaining games which leaves little room for slip-ups or bad performances.

After the recent impressive win over West Bromwich Albion at Ashton Gate, City have it in them to produce the goods against Derby on Saturday. It promises to be a special occasion that will hopefully leave us celebrating at the final whistle.