Liam Manning makes Bristol City demand ahead of Leeds United post-transfer window showdown

Liam Manning is calling on his Bristol City side to show find a 'ruthless edge' on Friday night against Leeds United. Bristol welcome the Whites to Ashton Gate just three days after being held to a 2-2 draw away at Coventry City on Tuesday.

The Robins led the game going into the final few minutes, only for an 86th minute equaliser from Ellis Simms to deny them all three points and that's a goal that saw Bristol's winless run in the Championship stretch to five games. Manning's side have slipped to 13th in the league table in that time but they know a result over the Whites will catapult them straight back into the hunt for the play-offs.

However, to get their top six push back on track, Manning knows his side need to stop letting teams off the hook and start delivering killer blows and that's what he wants to see when United travel to the south west later this week.

“I thought we conceded two really soft goals tonight,” Manning said after the game at the CBS Arena. “In the first 15 minutes we could have been one or two ahead, we got into some great areas and, I spoke to the lads about it, we’ve got to stop being nearly and start to deliver and execute.

“For me, that ruthless edge, that letting teams off the hook. We stopped controlling the game how we wanted to in the second half - Nahki produced a moment of really high quality to go ahead - and then, when you look at it, with eight or nine minutes to see out the game, having restricted them to crosses and very few chances, you get that emotional rollercoaster of conceding.

"But then you have to step back and, bigger picture, we've come to a side that are in-form, are on a good run, are strong and I thought we created numerous opportunities to hurt them, and that's probably why it's frustrating.

"The performance first-half for large periods was really, really good. There are so many positives, and that’s the bit for me - when you look at all the games, and all the results we’ve had, every single game has been on us, probably; it’s been close, it’s been tight, there aren’t many games where we’ve come away and I’ve gone they’re miles ahead of us.

“I understand the process, we’ve got to start turning the draws into wins, I’m quite clear on that but I don’t think anybody can go away and think we’re not of the level.”