Steve Coppell’s men might have scored sixteen more goals than their opponents this season, but they still trail Birmingham City by a point going into Saturday evening’s televised clash at St Andrews. A victory would see them leapfrog the Blues and join Wolves in the automatic promotion places on Christmas Day, an outcome that the bookmakers have priced up at 9/4 (Skybet).
Reading’s best away performance of the season came at Molineux in September, where they beat the league leaders 3-0. They have also landed wins away at Bristol City, Sheffield United and Barnsley in recent weeks, illustrating that they are a force to be reckoned with on the counter-attack. Nevertheless, this could be their sternest task to date, especially when you consider that Alex McLeish’s men have won nine of their eleven home matches in the league. Victor Chandler and bet365 offer 11/8 that they make it ten this weekend.
There are likely to be plenty of goals on the cards if City’s recent home matches are anything to go by. 3-2 wins over Charlton and Watford sandwich a 2-1 win over Ipswich, although Ladbrokes are prepared to offer even money that there are Over 2.5 Goals in this match. The visitors have scored in their past five matches, further supplementing this selection, with their last six goals coming from different scorers each time. Midfielder Stephen Hunt (11/1 Coral) is the Royals penalty taker, while Kevin Doyle (13/2 totesport) is the division’s top striker at the moment, despite failing to score for the past quartet of games.
Birmingham also have plenty of striking talent, but none of Kevin Phillips (6/1 Blue Square), Cameron Jerome (7/1 bet365) or Marcus Bent (7/1 Betfred) could find a way through against Preston last Saturday. My hunch is that while one of the above could be on target this Saturday, Reading on the Draw No Bet market is the bet to have at Boylesports’ 6/5. Just one defeat in the last nine suggests that the Berkshire club are clicking into gear as we approach the festive season.