Bristol City boss Michael Skubala reveals why Tomi Horvat and Sam Bell missed Walsall loss

Bristol City suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat to League Two side Walsall, crashing out of the Carabao Cup at the first hurdle.

After the match, Michael Skubala explained that Tomi Horvat and Sam Bell were omitted from the squad so he could assess summer arrivals Yu Hirakawa and Emil Riis in a competitive setting.

“I needed to use this game to see Emil and Yu,” Skubala said.

“If I didn’t see them in this game, despite having the opportunity, I wouldn’t have seen them in a match throughout the whole of pre-season.

“Of course, that’s not a normal thing, and you wouldn’t do that in a normal league game. But I had to use this game to see Yu and Emil.”

The 1-0 defeat to Walsall marked a disappointing start to Michael Skubala’s reign as Bristol City head coach, with the Robins crashing out of the Carabao Cup at the first hurdle.

Skubala arrived at Ashton Gate after guiding Lincoln City to the League One title last season and will now turn his attention to Bristol City’s Championship opener against Millwall next weekend.

Despite the frustrating result, the 42-year-old insisted the match had provided valuable lessons about his squad.

“I’ve learned a lot today,” Skubala reflected after his first competitive game in charge.

“I’ve learned a lot about different players in different moments. Pre-season is great, but this feels like a step up for the guys.

“We’re disappointed to lose the game, and we shouldn’t lose the game. But I’ve learned a lot about the players tonight.”