Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson insists that he simply decided to give Max O'Leary a chance after he decided to drop number one Dan Bentley.

The 28-year-old keeper hadn't missed a league game for the Robins this season, so it was a real surprise to see he was benched for the 2-1 last-gasp defeat at home to QPR last night.

With Bentley not having performed particularly bad during the campaign, the decision perhaps understandably prompted rumours as to why Bentley wasn't involved.

However, speaking to reporter Gregor MacGregor, Pearson explained that it was simply a call to freshen things up after an average run of form leading up to the QPR game.

"It's not always an easy thing to leave your captain out but every position is up for grabs. It's time for Max to have a go between the sticks and we see how we do."

The Robins are back in action on January 2 when they take on Millwall at Ashton Gate, so it will be interesting to see who is given the nod in goal.

The verdict

This was a big decision from Pearson and even though Bristol City lost it's not like O'Leary let the team down as he did well on a tough night.

Nevertheless, Bentley will feel annoyed that he lost his place in the XI, so you could understand why there was plenty of speculation indicating something may have happened behind the scenes.

Ultimately, we will see who starts on Sunday and whether Bentley does secure a move away in the coming weeks.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.