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Iwelumo backs Robins safety

Image: Chris Iwelumo: Watford striker is backing former club Bristol City to avoid relegation

Watford striker Chris Iwelumo has backed his former club Bristol City to steer clear of relegation from the Championship this season.

Hornets striker looking forward to return to Ashton Gate

Watford striker Chris Iwelumo has backed his former club Bristol City to steer clear of relegation from the Championship this season. The 33-year-old made eight appearances for the Robins, scoring twice, during a one-month loan spell at the club in 2010. The Hornets travel to Ashton Gate on Tuesday night with the hosts just four points above the relegation zone, but Iwelumo expects the Robins to prevail when the going gets tough during the final nine games of the campaign. "I loved my time there and it was one of those where I had played against Bristol City a fair few times before joining them and did quite well against them," Iwelumo told Sky Sports.

Twists and turns

"I was taken in by the fans almost instantly and have always been given a nice reception by them when going back there, so I'm definitely looking forward to going to Ashton Gate again. "They find themselves down there fighting for their lives at the minute, but they've got a good squad with some great players and no one expected clubs like them and Portsmouth to be down there at the start of the season. "They've also got a young manager that did well north of the border, so hopefully they can turn it round. "There is going to be so many twists and turns from now till the end of the season that anything can happen. "They will just need to take all the nervous energy away from the players and let them focus on each match at a time as a do-or-die situation." The Hornets find themselves caught in limbo, with an 11-point gap from the play-offs and a 17-point cushion from the drop zone, but Iwelumo is keen to end the season strongly. He added: "We've got nine games to go and you've just got to take them one game at a time really, but we go into every one confident of winning it. "What happens on the day will happen on the day, but we will try to accumulate as many points as we can till the end of the season and see where it takes us."

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