Follow live coverage as Bristol City face Watford in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Bristol City FC 2 - 1 Watford FC
Bristol City vs Watford
16:57Match ends, Bristol City 2, Watford 1.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:57Edo Kayembe (Watford) is shown the yellow card.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:56Second Half ends, Bristol City 2, Watford 1.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:54Attempt saved. Sam Bell (Bristol City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:53Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Edo Kayembe.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:53Attempt blocked. Anis Mehmeti (Bristol City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Haydon Roberts.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:51Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:51Substitution, Bristol City. Sam Bell replaces Mark Sykes.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:50Delay in match because of an injury Mark Sykes (Bristol City).
Bristol City vs Watford
16:50Fourth official has announced 5 minutes of added time.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:50Attempt saved. Tom Ince (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:49Attempt saved. Anis Mehmeti (Bristol City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:49Attempt blocked. Edo Kayembe (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:44Edo Kayembe (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:44Foul by Imrân Louza (Watford).
Bristol City vs Watford
16:44Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:43Delay in match because of an injury Imrân Louza (Watford).
Bristol City vs Watford
16:41Goal! Bristol City 2, Watford 1. Mamadou Doumbia (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Imrân Louza.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:41Substitution, Watford. Yasser Larouci replaces Caleb Wiley.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:41Substitution, Watford. Ryan Andrews replaces Jeremy Ngakia.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:41Attempt blocked. Tom Ince (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Caleb Wiley.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:33Foul by Mamadou Doumbia (Watford).
Bristol City vs Watford
16:33Substitution, Bristol City. Anis Mehmeti replaces Max Bird.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:32Attempt missed. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:32George Earthy (Bristol City) is shown the yellow card.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:32Hand ball by George Earthy (Bristol City).
Bristol City vs Watford
16:32Attempt blocked. Rocco Vata (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:32Attempt missed. Sinclair Armstrong (Bristol City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Jason Knight following a fast break.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:30Substitution, Bristol City. Marcus McGuane replaces Joe Williams.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:30Substitution, Bristol City. Haydon Roberts replaces Ross McCrorie.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:29Substitution, Bristol City. Sinclair Armstrong replaces Nahki Wells.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:21Offside, Bristol City. Jason Knight is caught offside.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:21Substitution, Watford. Mamadou Doumbia replaces Vakoun Bayo.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:21Substitution, Watford. Giorgi Chakvetadze replaces Moussa Sissoko.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:21Foul by Mattie Pollock (Watford).
Bristol City vs Watford
16:20Moussa Sissoko (Watford) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:17Corner, Watford. Conceded by Zak Vyner.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:15Attempt missed. Vakoun Bayo (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:13Foul by George Earthy (Bristol City).
Bristol City vs Watford
16:12Foul by Moussa Sissoko (Watford).
Bristol City vs Watford
16:12Foul by Nahki Wells (Bristol City).
Bristol City vs Watford
16:06Cameron Pring (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Bristol City vs Watford
16:05Second Half begins Bristol City 2, Watford 0.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:51First Half ends, Bristol City 2, Watford 0.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:51Corner, Watford. Conceded by Rob Dickie.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:51Foul by Mark Sykes (Bristol City).
Bristol City vs Watford
15:47Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:43Cameron Pring (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:47Attempt missed. Max Bird (Bristol City) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Ross McCrorie.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:38Foul by Jason Knight (Bristol City).
Bristol City vs Watford
15:33Foul by Mark Sykes (Bristol City).
Bristol City vs Watford
15:30Goal! Bristol City 2, Watford 0. Nahki Wells (Bristol City) left footed shot from the centre of the box.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:28Foul by Moussa Sissoko (Watford).
Bristol City vs Watford
15:30Joe Williams (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:24Goal! Bristol City 1, Watford 0. Ross McCrorie (Bristol City) left footed shot from the centre of the box.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:21Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Jeremy Ngakia.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:21Hand ball by Imrân Louza (Watford).
Bristol City vs Watford
15:37Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:21Substitution, Watford. Tom Ince replaces Kwadwo Baah because of an injury.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:36Delay in match (Watford).
Bristol City vs Watford
15:21Hand ball by Nahki Wells (Bristol City).
Bristol City vs Watford
15:19Ross McCrorie (Bristol City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:19Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:13Delay in match because of an injury Vakoun Bayo (Watford).
Bristol City vs Watford
15:09Ross McCrorie (Bristol City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:06Attempt saved. Kwadwo Baah (Watford) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jeremy Ngakia.
Bristol City vs Watford
15:04Foul by Nahki Wells (Bristol City).
Bristol City vs Watford
15:02Foul by Nahki Wells (Bristol City).
Bristol City vs Watford
15:01First Half begins.
Bristol City vs Watford
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Bristol City vs Watford
13:01Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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