Reading welcome Swansea to Select Car Leasing Stadium in a huge clash in the race for Sky Bet Championship play-offs.
Victory would see Reading climb to eighth in the table due to their inferior goal difference compared to seventh-placed QPR, whilst Swansea can improve to seventh if they win by at least two goals at minimum.
Team News
Reading could welcome Scott Dann and Femi Azeez back from respective hamstring injuries.
Sam Hutchinson (calf) and Tom Holmes (head) are also expected to be available whilst Dejan Tetek (hamstring) won’t be risked unless fully match-fit.
Ovie Ejaria (knock) and Liam Moore (knee) remain absent.
Swansea have no fresh injury concerns to report as Michael Obafemi again is doubtful with a knock which has prevented him from featuring in their last two matches.
Liam Walsh remains absent with an Achilles injury.
Stat Attack
- Reading have won just one of their last five league meetings against Swansea (W1, D3, L1).
- Swansea are unbeaten in their last seven regular-season league visits to Reading (W3, D4).
- Just one of the last eight meetings has seen both teams fail to score – which came in December 2020 as Swansea held Reading to a goalless draw in their final fixture of that calendar year.
- Reading have kept just two clean sheets in their last six matches at home this season (W3, D1, L2), during which they scored eight goals and conceded six goals.
- Swansea are looking to avoid going eight consecutive league matches without a win for the first time since they failed to win in nine games between March-May 2018.
Prediction
Having drifted away from the promotion mix following a run of inconsistency since October, Reading’s defensive issues were ruthlessly exposed in a disastrous first-half at Birmingham City so I do anticipate huge improvement especially after a much better second-half in that eventual defeat.
Swansea meanwhile are on a seven-match winless run but crucially have only lost twice which could be pivotal come end of season, although this is a team full of guts and spirit which was shown by their brilliant fightback to draw 3-3 at Coventry from 3-0 down after some poor defending.
Now if Swansea can tidy up their defensive sloppiness and deliver a more balanced performance, I can see them standing a strong chance at victory if they can rip Reading apart like Birmingham City did, although the Royals won’t make this easy so expect a tough battle.
Prediction: Reading 1-1 Swansea
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