Bristol City manager Lee Johnson has revealed why central midfielder Korey Smith wasn't in the squad to face Millwall on Tuesday night, reports Bristol Live.

Johnson said: "No, he’s alright (on Smith missing the game).

"That was a tough one but when I looked at it, I wasn’t sure because my sports scientist was telling me that Famara (Diedhiou) can’t make the 90 and (Pedro) Pereira and (Jack) Hunt hasn’t had a run of games, I knew I could move Browny (Josh Brownhill) inside as a midfielder."

Smith has had a torrid time with injuries over the past 18 months, first having to undergo an operation on his knee in the summer of 2018 before returning to action at the start of the year.

He made six appearances in a City shirt before suffering two broken bones in his foot and a torn ligament in a Championship game with Reading back in April.

The 28-year-old has recently returned from injury after appearing in a few under-23s games for the Robins, and managing to make it through unscathed.

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He has made three appearances for the Robins this campaign, as he has been able to get back on the field and is hoping to put the injury woes of the past 18 months behind him.

Smith signed for the club in the summer of 2014, where he was managed by Lee Johnson, and he has since gone on to be a stalwart in the midfield at Ashton Gate, as well as becoming their longest serving player.

The Verdict

With Smith's injury woes of the past 18 months being well publicised, Johnson was right to rest Smith for the test against Millwall.

If the midfielder wasn't feeling 100% and being considered too much of a risk to even include on the bench, Johnson has his valid reasons for choosing to not play the experienced midfielder in what was a cagey game.