WE MUST BE MORE RUTHLESS INSISTS JOHNSON

BRISTOL City boss Lee Johnson has challenged his forwards to show topflight ruthlessness as the Robins target promotion to the Premier League. A fixture in the top six since September, Wednesday’s 1-1 home draw with Fulham means City have now won just one match since Boxing Day. Four blanks have been drawn during that run and, with Neil Warnock’s in-form Bluebirds boasting the second-tightest defence in the division, Johnson knows his side need to improve. “Against Fulham, I saw some real good play,” said Johnson, whose side won the reverse fixture 2-1 at Ashton Gate in November. “If we can just improve our decisionmaking in that final third, that’s the next big step in the evolution of the team. “We’ve got a lot of young players, particularly in that front line. They can handle the ball. They’re very energetic, very sprightly. They just need to be more consistent with their final ball, whether that’s a pass, a cross or a finish.” And whilst Johnson had a pop at Cardiff ’s stay-away supporters, he was full of praise for the job done by Warnock. “They’ve had a fantastic season, there’s no doubting that,” he said. “Neil went in when they were relegation fodder and he’s turned them into genuine promotion candidates. “It’ll be an aggressive game, that’s for sure. Neil’s sides are always very functional, very organised. They’ve got a lot of physical players in the team so they make you defend all over the pitch. You’ve got to be ready for the battle.”