MansionBet Match Preview: Reading (A)

Unbeaten in their last four games (W3, D1), with three consecutive clean sheets thrown into the mix, Dean Holden’s men head along the M4 motorway in confident spirits.

In partnership with MansionBet, here’s a preview of what you can expect from the fixture.

The lunchtime fixture is live on Sky Sports with two teams battling for potential promotion following their respective strong starts.

With October’s dry patch out of the way, City would record three wins in a row before a goalless draw with Watford in midweek.

But Holden’s side were resilient against a Hornets team content with boasting possession, while lady luck avoided City in the second half when the Robins found more attacking avenues to put the visitors on the backfoot.

Antoine Semenyo went closest as the forward continued to impress not only his head coach but those supporters following via Robins TV, with the youngster named Man of the Match for the fourth consecutive game, as well as receiving the Sky Sports award. He will be hoping to have earned another start at Reading as will Zak Vyner, another player from the Academy to have cemented a regular first team spot.

As for the Royals, the Berkshire outfit are still clinging on to the early play-off spots but are hoping to recover their early form if they are to stay in and around it.

Both City and the Royals enjoyed perfect starts in the run up the first international break of the season, with Reading flying under new manager Veljko Paunović, who wouldn’t lose a league game until Halloween. That was a run of eight games unbeaten (seven wins, one draw) to propel them to the top of the Championship.

However, Saturday’s opponents are without a win in their last five games, which included a stretch of four defeats in a row. Danger-man Luas João did grab his eighth league goal of the season (he is the Championship's third top goalscorer) to help Reading earn a point last time out against Millwall to stop that losing run.

Still, Reading entered the weekend sixth, four points behind leaders Norwich and one behind City – thanks to their strong start. The question on people’s lips now is have Paunović’s side run out of gas too early? That’s the worry many fans will be pondering after conceding 14 goals in their last 5 games. They had conceded just three goals in their first eight matches prior.

There are certainly similarities after good starts and both clubs have suffered dips, yet form-wise the teams are very different. Both still sit in similar positions in the table, but after City recorded 1-0 wins home and away over Reading last season, a similar result this time would be welcomed.

MATCH DETAILS 

Where: Madejski Stadium
When: Saturday, November 28th, 12.30pm KO
Competition: Sky Bet Championship

Referee: Jeremy Simpson
Assistants: Edward Smart and Rob Smith
Fourth official: Antony Coggins