There is one match in the Sky Bet Championship on Tuesday evening as the competition returns from the break for the FA Cup last weekend. It is a big one at both ends of the table as Reading play host to Fulham.
Fulham have had an extended break in the Championship with cancellations due to Covid and they have dropped out of the top two but a win here will move them back into the promotion places. Reading are just three points above the drop zone so they need to be careful.
Reading
This hasn’t been a good period for Reading. They had to miss some matches before and over Christmas because of Covid and in the two matches they have played since the turn of the year they have surrendered a 2-0 lead to Derby in a huge clash at the bottom of the table and then been dumped out of the FA Cup by Kidderminster Harriers, four tiers below them in the pyramid. They rested a number of players for that match but should still have had enough to beat them.
In the league it is now just one win in six for Reading but maybe more worryingly for them you have to go back to October 16 for the last time they won at home. That was only against Barnsley which isn’t a brilliant form guide so that would be a real concern. Injuries haven’t helped the Royals this term and the point deduction has added further pressure onto their shoulders but you sense they are still underachieving a little this term.
Fulham
Heading into December it looked like Fulham were going to do a bit of a hatchet job on the Championship this season but things have gone a bit sour in recent times. They have now gone five without a win in the league and have seen all momentum disappear both from a results point of view and a rhythm one with matches being cancelled for Covid. Given that they haven’t played in the league for three weeks they needed the cup match with Bristol City at the weekend.
It wouldn’t have been ideal that they had to go through extra time at Ashton Gate but it would at least have shaken off all the rust they will have inherited. This is a big game for them you feel. If they come out of the break continuing to struggle in the league they could do some real damage to their promotion hopes. They are widely expected to win this match and if they play like they did leading up to December they should have too much.
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Team News
Reading will be without Baba Rahman and Andy Yiadom who are both away at the Africa Cup of Nations. Danny Drinkwater played the cup tie on Saturday but might be reduced to the bench here. John Swift should be available.
Fulham will be without Jean Michael Seri in the middle of the park as he is away at the Africa Cup of Nations and the game comes too soon for Ivan Cavaleiro. Marco Silva suggested that two players are still isolating having tested positive for Covid but Aleksandar Mitrovic came off the bench at the weekend which suggests he isn’t one of them.
Betting
I expected to see some goals when this match was initially scheduled to take place and I haven’t changed my mind ahead of this rearranged one. Actually there might be even more chance of goals because Reading are without a host of defensive players for this game and if there is one team you don’t want to be light on defensive resources against it is this Fulham outfit as when they are on their game they can destroy anyone.
Fulham don’t look as measured or as composed at the back to me and the absence of the shield in front of the back four isn’t likely to change much here. Reading have a number of ways of being dangerous going forward, whether it is lumping it in to Andy Carroll or using the class of players like John Swift and with both teams needing to win this I see a fairly end to end game being played out. I think we’ll see over 3 goals in this one.
Tips
Back Over 3 goals for a 3/10 stake at 1.98 with BetVictor
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