Bristol City boss Johnson is happy to have a selection headache

Bristol City boss Gary Johnson says increased competition for places is making it more difficult than ever for him to select his starting line-up.

Given that key players are  returning from injury, the manager will very likely be spoilt for choice when he comes to name a side to face Championship leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Sidelined by injury since July, midfield enforcer Marvin Elliott announced his return with a dominant display in Saturday’s 4-1 thrashing of Doncaster Rovers at Ashton Gate.

Elliott replaced Bradley Orr at the start of the second half and his arrival helped spark a City goal-rush.

Having finally confirmed his recovery from a recurring knee problem, the 23-year-old Londoner is now pushing hard for a place in the starting XI at Molineux.

Utility player Brian Wilson yesterday returned to full-time training after taking a week off to recover from the effects of shin splints, further intensifying the battle for first-team places among Johnson’s squad.

Goalkeeper Adriano Basso and striker Steve Brooker are expected to overcome calf and Achilles strains in time to be considered for this weekend’s clash in the Black Country, while Gavin Williams and Lee Trundle are also in contention to return to the team.

“It’s vitally important to have that level of competition,” said Johnson.

“You need players competing with one another all over the park in the Championship, and that’s what we now have here.

“Players have to know that, if they play poorly and the team loses, then there are others who can come in and done a job. That’s what has happened so far this season.

“Ivan Sproule couldn’t get in because Brian Wilson was keeping him out at the start of the season. Gavin Williams is also in there fighting for a place and he was disappointed to be left out on Saturday.

“Cole Skuse has done well in midfield and he looked OK when we moved him to right-back after half-time.

“Although Marvin Elliott might not be ready for 90 minutes yet, he is also fit again and showing us what he can do.”

A regular for much of the previous campaign, centre-back Jamie McCombe is still to come back after suffering a fractured jaw, while midfielder David Noble and recently-signed striker   John Akinde have yet to feature at all.

“You need a squad of about 20 players who are all comfortable at Championship level and we’re getting close to that,” added Johnson.

Given that Skuse has performed admirably in the centre of midfield, Elliott’s return to the starting line-up is by no means assured, while Johnson is likely to have to decide between Basso and Chris Weale in goal.

Wilson and Williams are putting pressure on the recently-recalled Sproule for the right-wing berth.

 Brooker, Trundle and Akinde are all waiting in the wings should the goals dry up for strike partners Nicky Maynard and Dele Adebola.

But Johnson has seldom changed a winning team during his three-year tenure in Bristol and he will think long and hard before doing so at Molineux.

He said: “While you’re winning, the manager has a much easier job.

“If you’re getting beaten every week, you sometimes have to decide whether to change the team or keep the continuity.

“I tend to keep the continuity for as long as I can, because I have faith in the whole squad.

“I let people lose their place rather than me taking them out.”