As the Football League calendar heads into the busy festive period ahead of the January transfer window, there’s still plenty of football to be played between now and the New Year.

With the international break upon the Championship, the league pauses for a two-week break to facilitate the final UEFA Nations League and friendly fixtures of the calendar year.

That will give Bristol City and Lee Johnson time to reflect on their season so far. 

The Robins sit 13th after 17 matches on 22 points this term - that’s nine points and nine places below their total after the same number of games last season.

It has been a somewhat inconsistent year for Johnson’s side so far blowing hot and cold, and failing to find any real consistency to their performances.

Having been a revelation since his arrival in 2016 - including a League Cup semi-final appearance - the wheels look like they could slowly be falling off at Ashton Gate, despite an excellent start to the campaign.

There is no doubt that with the money invested into the Robins in recent seasons, should inconsistent results persist, Johnson will soon find his job under threat.

Football is a results business and should City not get what is required, then a successor to the Robins’ current manager could well be sought.

With that said here are three potential replacements for the Bristol City boss if he’s sacked from the Championship side.

The former Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea boss is still without a job despite a relatively successful spell with the Welsh side last season.

Despite the Swans being relegated, Carlos Carvalhal made a solid impression at the Liberty Stadium.

Having twice got Wednesday to the play-offs, too, he could be a shrewd appointment at Ashton Gate should the pressure toll on Lee Johnson.

Making waves in League One, Daniel Stendel is an attractive appointment for any club with a particular style of play.

That style would suit Bristol City down to the ground and having had relative success with the Tykes so far; it would be remiss of him not to be linked with prospective jobs further up the leagues.

Stendel could do well at Bristol City should Johnson be sacked.

And it wouldn’t be the first time a managerial move between the two clubs would have happened.

The Luton Town manager is one of the highly-rated young managers in the Football League and should Lee Johnson leave; then there is scope for Nathan Jones to step into the spotlight.

Johnson was and still is a manager who is highly-rated, but after what is a poor start to the season by their stands set after last year, his position could soon be under threat.

If Johnson is removed from his post, the smart and inventive appointment of Jones could be the way forward for the Robins.