Gerhard Struber shares Rob Atkinson latest in Bristol City injury update ahead of QPR visit

Rob Atkinson was withdrawn in the closing exchanges of Bristol City's draw with Ipswich Town at Ashton Gate on Tuesday

Rob Atkinson is ready and available to feature for Bristol City against Queens Park Rangers, Gerhard Struber has confirmed, with the defender involved in training on Friday morning despite being forced off against Ipswich Town.

The Robins welcome Julien Stéphan's side to Ashton Gate on Saturday afternoon as they look to end a three-match winless run and build off of back-to-back draws with Ipswich and Preston North End. QPR currently sit 10th in the Championship, a point adrift of fifth-placed City, after also drawing each of their last two league games.

Although Atkinson started against both Preston and the Tractor Boys, having been an injury doubt for the trip to Deepdale, the 27-year-old was replaced by Haydon Roberts for the closing exchanges of the draw with Kieran McKenna's side after twice receiving treatment on the pitch.

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Post-match, Struber was unable to provide a definite update on the centre-back's condition but remained hopeful he would be fit to feature in some capacity against the Hoops. While it has come as a surprise to the City boss, it seems his hopes have been answered.

“Ready,” the head coach simply told Bristol Live when asked how Atkinson was in his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon. “He was out today in the training sessions. He feels a little bit, but he’s available tomorrow.

“Today, I was a little bit surprised that he’s on this level and ready again,” Struber continued. “I thought more that he [would be] maybe out for this game, but right now it looks very good.”

The rest of Struber's squad managed to come through the 1-1 stalemate with the Tractor Boys unscathed, but one player who wasn't involved at Ashton Gate on Tuesday night was Max O'Leary.

Having been sidelined with an ankle injury since pre-season, the Reds stopper took the next step on his road to recovery when he started and played the full 90 minutes for City's Under-21s against Charlton Athletic at the High Performance Centre on Monday afternoon.

Through no fault of the Ireland international, the Young Robins were beaten 2-1 by the Addicks, with Louie Derrick's second-half strike proving to be little more than a consolation.

While it won't be easy for O'Leary to wrestle back his starting role from Radek Vitek, who has started the season excellently, it may not be too long before the 28-year-old returns to a Championship matchday squad.

"Close, close, very close," Struber said on the stopper's proximity to the first-team fold. "I would say, also today, he did great in the training.

"He’s very close, and we will see how everything’s working after the international break.”

After Saturday's clash with QPR, the Robins have two weeks without Championship football with the October international break to come before the trip to Carrow Road to face Norwich City later this month.

Naturally, the break between games should provide longer term absentees such as Joe Williams, Cam Pring, Max Bird, and Josh Stokes with an opportuntity to get closer to full fitness without missing competitive matches.

The original suggestion had been that both Pring and Williams could return to the fold in the middle of this month, but Struber is adamant the Reds will need to take their time with both players so not to risk losing them for longer periods of time.

“Not at the moment," the head coach said when asked if both players were on track for a return after the international break. "We have to be patient with these guys.

"In more directions, we plan that they are back much sooner, like what is the reality, but we have to look on the healing, and it is not always on the same level about different reasons, and in these directions we have to be patient also with them.

“I would say with the one or other player, we have a long-term goal to come back on the pitch," Struber continued. "But also, we have the one or other player we look at in the next few weeks, he’s back and ready for the team.

"I can speak also open with Joe Williams, this could be a longer time that he is back on the field."

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