Lewin Nyatanga accepts that the pressure will be on Bristol City when they renew hostilities with arch-rivals Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park tonight.

Debilitating defeat at the hands of mid-table Doncaster, who triumphed 5-2 at Ashton Gate on Saturday, has revived the unpalatable prospect of a protracted fight against relegation between now and the end of the season.

City face a potentially hazardous sequence of three away games against sides currently beneath them in the Championship table – tonight's assignment in south London is followed by trips to Reading and Plymouth Argyle – and further poor performances and results will inevitably plunge the team into an internecine fight to avoid the drop.

But central defender Nyatanga says he and his team-mates, desperate to atone for their weekend horror show, view the task of handling mounting pressure as a challenge rather than something to fear.

"Of course there is pressure on us now – there is no getting away from it," concedes the Welsh international defender.

"We all look at the league table and we are aware that we have to play three sides who are looking to drag us into the relegation fight.

"If we win those games, then the pressure will ease. If we don't, then we'll be dragged into something we would rather avoid."

Although many supporters now harbour genuine concerns in the wake of a defeat which was as severe as it was unexpected, Nyatanga prefers to view trips to Selhurst Park, the Madejski Stadium and Home Park as an opportunity.

He explained: "There's no point in worrying about these games, no matter how important they are. We cannot afford to be fearful.

"It's far better if we are positive and that means looking upon the next three games as an opportunity. We have a chance to improve our own position and increase the pressure felt by some of the teams below us. It's a chance we have to try and take."

City's players have been involved in a full and frank inquest launched to determine exactly where they went wrong against Doncaster and have been subjected to a couple of intense training sessions designed to iron out the defensive frailties which rendered them so vulnerable at the weekend.

Nyatanga said: "We've spent a lot of time talking about what happened and reflecting on what we can do to put things right.

"We've been encouraged to see the bigger picture and the gaffer has reminded us that we had three positive results against some of the best teams in this league before the Doncaster game. We've shown we can do it against the top sides, now we have to be consistent and do it against the rest of the division."

On the face of it, a trip to south London and a fixture against highly-motivated opponents, who are under new management – Paul Hart succeeded Neil Warnock as boss only last week – is the last thing a City side suffering from fragile confidence needs right now.

Their task is likely to be rendered that much more difficult by the fact Palace will be out for revenge following the notorious 'goal that never was' episode which dominated proceedings when the sides last met in Bristol in August.

Palace were incensed when an apparently good goal, scored by loan signing Freedie Sears, was disallowed by referee Rob Shoebridge and his assistants, who failed to see that the ball had crossed the line and bounced back out off a stanchion.

City went on to win the game, courtesy of a late Nicky Maynard strike and, then Palace boss Warnock and chairman, Simon Jordan, feeling their team had been hard done by, accused the Robins of cheating.

A bitter row ensued which made the back pages of even the national newspapers and City manager Johnson and chairman Steve Lansdown felt compelled to launch a vigorous verbal defence of their club.

Warnock may have left to manage QPR, Jordan may no longer be in control of affairs at a club that has since gone into administration and Sears may be back at West Ham United, but make no mistake, Palace will be intent upon revenge tonight.

"What happened in the last game is bound to be on their minds," admits Nyatanga. "They'll use it as a motivational tool and will be really up for this game.

"We know that, we are aware of the situation and we will be ready for it. Palace are one of those teams with an excellent spirit and they will come at us hard.

"It's important we are prepared to deal with that and I'm sure we will be."