Keith Millen is warning Bristol City's players they must work harder if they want to return to winning ways.

Without a win in any of their last five Championship outings, the Robins will be out to put the record straight against Leicester City at the Walkers Stadium this evening.

But assistant manager Millen says the players must do more if they want to get their season back on track.

City boss Gary Johnson was critical of his team's work-rate following Saturday's 0-0 draw against Ipswich Town at Ashton Gate and Millen admitted: "Too many players were waiting for something to happen. When teams make life difficult for us, we have to try to work even harder and move even more.

"It's no good waiting and hoping something will drop kindly for you. In the Championship, you have to make things happen if you want to win games.

"We had a lot of possession without ever really looking like we could break them down.

"We needed people making more runs and being a bit more clever in and around the 18-yard box.

"Only by working harder will we be able to create the number of chances we need to win a game. We feel that by working hard as a team, we are able to create space in the final third and that was not happening against Ipswich."

Bristol City have not won since beating Barnsley 3-2 at Oakwell on October 24 and Millen admits confidence has been affected by a return of two points from five games.

But he insists the players must remain upbeat, adopt a positive mental outlook and seek to exploit any hesitancy on the part of opponents who are still smarting from Saturday's 5-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

"Confidence is a little bit down after the run we've been on," said Millen. "It does get you down a bit when things are not going right and the fans are getting frustrated.

"It's at times like this when you have to stick together. We have to go there, be positive and try to win the game.

"If we can score an early goal, I'm sure you will see a more confident team playing better football. Sometimes that's all it takes to give the players and fans renewed belief."

He added: "I'm sure Leicester's manager will expect a response from his players after the hiding they took at the weekend and we know they are going to be up for the fight.

"But I would have thought conceding five goals would have knocked Leicester's confidence a bit and we need to make sure we start well. If they are a little bit fragile, then we have to expose that and take advantage of it."

City will come up against keeper Chris Weale who left Ashton Gate to move to the Walkers Stadium in the summer.

Millen says he understands why the Yeovil-born player opted for a change. He said: "Chris probably didn't feel as though he got a fair crack of the whip while he was here.

"Because Adriano Basso was experienced and had played so many times for us, Chris never got a decent run of games under his belt and decided to go elsewhere for regular first team football.

"We always knew he was a good goalkeeper and he's proving that with Leicester this season."

Defenders Bradley Orr, Jamie McAllister and Louis Carey have all recovered from injury and manager Johnson faces something of a selection poser as he seeks a winning formula.

Millen confirmed: "Everyone trained on Monday and, although a few of the lads have got minor niggles, we're picking from a virtually full squad."