Reading host Stoke City as the mid-table sides clash in an early kick-off Championship fixture on Saturday. The hosts sit comfortably in the 14th-position on the points table. But it’s the visitors who will be hoping to get a win as only three points separate them and the relegation zone.
Stoke City Visit Reading Hoping to Steer Clear of Danger
Previous Meetings
The previous meetings between the two sides have been pretty open-ended. There have been four draws in the last six fixtures between the two clubs. Stoke have won the other two, while hosts Reading are yet to register their first win against their Saturday’s counterparts in the last 13 years.
The last three matches between Reading and Stoke have ended up in a draw, with the last two ending up goalless.
When the two sides met in the reverse fixture in December, The Potters had dominated the fixture with 11 goal attempts. But poor finishing and inefficiency led them to not converting even a single attempt into a goal. An interesting point to note was that Reading faced a lot of difficulties maintaining possession in the fixture with Stoke constantly pressing and winning the ball.
Team News
Reading
A big blow to Reading is the absence of their right-back Andy Yiadom. The full-back will miss the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury. Welsh International Chris Gunter should start as his replacement on the right-flank in the defensive role.
The home side will be delighted on the return of their Portuguese striker Lucas Joao. The forward is finally match fit and could start ahead of George Puscas upfront. Lucas Boye has tested positive for Coronavirus and is thus ruled out from the fixture.
Stoke City
Stoke City will be without Joe Allen who is still recovering from an Achilles Tendon injury. Jordan Cousins and Sam Vokes have joined the squad back in training but are doubtful for the clash as they lack match sharpness.
Talking tactics
Reading usually try to build their game from the back, patiently waiting for spaces to counter. In the entire season, all the opponents have played quite aggressively against them and the same could be expected from Stoke on Saturday.
Stoke have always attacked down the left on the majority of the occasions this season. This makes Jordan Thompson and Tyrese Campbell our players to watch out for on Saturday.
An important talking point is the club’s contrasting abilities in protecting the lead. While the home side are very strong in protecting the lead, their counterparts on Saturday have had difficulties in the same. This suggests that if the Royals score first, it could prove to be fatal for Stoke.
Prediction
Only eight points separate Reading and Preston North End, who are in the sixth position. If Reading can capitalise on each and every fixture left, they have a huge chance of still making it to the top six. This makes Saturday’s fixture really crucial for them.
On the contrary, Stoke will be looking to boost their survival hopes. They are just three points from the bottom of the table. If they win this one, they could breathe a huge sigh of relief this weekend.
Nevertheless, Reading would be difficult to break at home and could also hurt on Stoke on the counter. This should be a close win for the Royals.
Reading 1-0 Stoke City
Main Photo
