Gary Johnson will warn his Bristol City players to beware the Crystal Palace backlash before sending them into action in what could a crucial Coca-Cola Championship clash at Selhurst Park tonight.

Bristol City's manager acknowledges that relations between the two clubs have been strained for some time and there will be little love lost when they renew hostilities tonight.

Games between the two sides have been mired in controversy in recent seasons, not least when Palace accused the Robins of over-celebrating David Noble's injury-time winner in the 2008 play-off semi-final.

There was further rancour when Palace failed to pay the balance on the transfer fee which saw midfielder Nick Carle move from Bristol to Selhurst Park later that year, but relations plummeted to a new low in the wake of the infamous 'goal that never was' incident at Ashton Gate last August – Freddie Sears scoring for the visitors only to have his effort ruled out in highly contorversial circumstances.

Palace went on to lose the game 1-0 and then-manager Neil Warnock lambasted referee Rob Shoebridge and, together with Eagles chairman Simon Jordan, suggested City's players had been guilty of unsporting behaviour.

The south London club will be out for revenge tonight and Johnson has warned his players to expect a rough ride in the capital.

City's manager said: "Because of what has gone on previously, it is always a massive battle when we play at Crystal Palace.

"We are going to have to be up for it and we are going to have to be prepared to fight for anything we get.

"The fact that Neil Warnock is no longer their manager may take a little bit of heat out of the situation, but not a lot.

"Most of those players who came here in August are still there and I'm sure they will tell the new manager (Paul Hart) what happened.

"I'm sure he will be happy enough to use it and we have to be aware of that and ensure we are ready for it. Players cannot go around kicking people in this day and age, but our lads have to realise that the game is going to be competitive."

Palace are a club in turmoil, having recently entered administration, been docked 10 points and lost the services of manager Warnock, who decamped to QPR.

But Johnson has little sympathy for their plight and said: "They have been paying their way with someone else's money and the poor man who sells the milk in the corner shop has lost out.

"We all know the rules beforehand and we all have to abide by them."

Johnson and his coaching staff have had just two days in which to try to eradicate the costly defensive errors which contributed to Saturday's unexpected 5-2 defeat at home to Doncaster Rovers.

City's manager said: "We had been fairly solid in the three games before that, so we don't quite know where that came from.

"We were too open as a team and, no matter what formation we go with against Palace, we need to tighten things up and be more competitive."

Johnson has recalled goalkeeper Stephen Henderson from Aldershot, where he has been on loan since January, to act as cover to Dean Gerken after Steve Collis suffered a badly bruised foot in training.