The exciting Bristol City player development that may frustrate Derby County supporters: View | OneFootball

Highlights

Bristol City defeated Middlesbrough 2-1 at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday, as they picked up their first Championship win since Boxing Day.

The Robins will be grateful to have won for the first time in six league outings, but it hasn't all been bad for Liam Manning's men of late, as they knocked out Premier League side West Ham in the FA Cup in January, before narrowly missing out on completing the same feat as they were defeated only on penalties by top-flight outfit Nottingham Forest in the fourth round replay at the City Ground on 7th February.

One of the Robins' in-form players is former Derby County midfielder Jason Knight, who scored the first goal as Manning's men scored two goals in as many minutes as they won at Boro on Saturday, a result which sees the West Country outfit into 13th in the Championship table.

The 22-year-old also scored the equaliser for his side as they drew 1-1 with Forest before narrowly missing out on penalties, as fellow attacking midfielder Sam Bell missed his spot-kick.

Derby fans may be jealous of Knight's contributions for the Robins

According to FotMob, Knight scored just 14 goals in 166 games for the Rams, but he has already scored six goals in just 37 appearances for his current club.

Since leaving the Rams in the summer, Knight has seemingly been able to find a creative edge that he lacked at Pride Park despite now playing in the Championship, while his former club are in League One.

The Republic of Ireland international has also contributed four assists for the Robins so far this season, with three in the Championship and one in the FA Cup.

The fact that Knight scored against Forest also demonstrates his ability to score goals against high level opponents, something which may frustrate Rams fans as it is not a skill he showed often enough at his former club.

Knight could have secured the Rams a play-off spot if he found his creative edge sooner

This season, Paul Warne's side look certain to secure at least a top-six spot in League One, and could even gain automatic promotion back to the Championship.

But at the end of the 2022/23 third tier campaign, the Rams missed out on a play-off spot by just one point as they finished seventh in a season where Knight scored just two league goals and made three assists in 38 league appearances.

Despite now playing at a higher level, the ace has already made more goal contributions, with three goals and three assists, in the league for the Robins in 31 Championship appearances.

This is a frustrating scenario for Rams fans who may wonder what could have been if Knight was able to find his sharper creative edge a year sooner.

But, if the Rams win promotion this time around, they will not be too disheartened by Knight's departure and subsequent good form in the West Country.

Meanwhile, the Robins will hope that Max Bird, who signed for Manning's side from the Rams in January before being loaned back to the League One outfit, will make a similar impact to that of Knight upon his arrival at Ashton Gate.