A Burton Albion side seeking their third straight League One victory host a Reading outfit out to avoid a third successive loss in the division on Tuesday evening.
Gary Bowyer's men prevailed in a six-goal spectacular with Rotherham United over the weekend, while their visitors succumbed to a 2-0 loss away to Leyton Orient.
Match preview
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To use the age-old London bus analogy, Burton boss Bowyer had to wait over a month for his first victory in charge of his new club, having failed to win any of his opening six games at the helm after his December appointment.
However, the hosting manager has now overseen back-to-back successes in the third tier, as his players followed up a gritty 2-1 triumph away to Wigan Athletic with a long-awaited home victory on Saturday, where Rotherham could not build on a second-minute opener.
Instead, the Millers were forced to watch Burton new boy Jon Dadi Bodvarsson steal the show, as the experienced Icelandic striker made it three goals from as many games in his new kit, while JJ McKiernan and Ryan Sweeney also got in on the act.
Despite taking seven points from their last nine on offer and only losing one of their last six matches in League One, Burton's survival prospects remain out of their own hands in 21st place in the table, six points adrift of Northampton Town and Peterborough United.
While the Brewers ended their agonising wait for another home win last time out, bolting the back door shut at the Pirelli Stadium remains a tall order, as they have conceded at least one goal in each of their last nine games in front of their own fans.
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As Burton Albion go in search of consecutive win number three, Reading are coincidentally aiming to avoid consecutive defeat number three, having seen a winter-time revival of their own stopped in its tracks over the past 10 days.
Seven days on from a 3-1 home defeat to Stockport County, Noel Hunt's side cut toothless figures away to Leyton Orient on Saturday, mustering just three shots in the entire match and falling to strikes from Dilan Markanday and Charlie Kelman either side of the half-time whistle.
With a 3-1 FA Cup defeat to Burnley also on their January record, the Royals have well and truly been brought crashing back down to earth amid a three-match losing sequence, prior to which they registered three wins and a draw from four League One games just after Christmas.
Nevertheless, Reading remain in the playoff hunt in eighth position and crucially have a game in hand on sixth-placed Barnsley - who are just one point better off - but they have now failed to find the back of the net in three of their last four League One away contests.
The Royals did strike twice on Burton's turf last April, but they also failed to shut up shop in a 3-2 defeat, one which they avenged earlier this season with a 3-1 triumph at the Madejski Stadium thanks to Chem Campbell (two) and Sam Smith.
Team News
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Burton came out of Saturday's victory with no new concerns on the injury or suspension front, but centre-back Geraldo Bajrami is still on the mend from the devastating ACL injury he suffered on just his second appearance for his new club.
Jack Armer, Terence Vancooten and recent goalscorer Sweeney are therefore primed to form Bowyer's back three yet again, while Billy Bodin, Danilo Orsi and Rumarn Burrell are all battling to partner the in-form Bodvarsson up top.
In contrast, Reading were forced into an alteration just six minutes into their clash with Leyton Orient, as Jeriel Dorsett suffered a suspected hamstring injury during a sprint, Hunt confirmed after the game.
The 22-year-old will undergo further tests this week to determine the severity of his concern, but Abraham Kanu might have to fill in at left-back for the time being, especially as captain Andy Yiadom has only just returned to training after a nine-month absence.
Nineteen-year-old Kanu was substituted himself after being brought on for the stricken Dorsett at the weekend, though, so Louie Holzman might also hold out hope of a promotion to the first XI.
Burton Albion possible starting lineup:
Crocombe; Armer, Vancooten, Sweeney; Godwin-Malife, McKiernan, Webster, Chauke, Dodgson; Orsi, Bodvarsson
Reading possible starting lineup:
Pereira; Craig, Dean, Bindon, Kanu; Savage, Wing, Knibbs; Campbell, Smith, Ehibhatiomhan
We say: Burton Albion 2-1 Reading
With a newfound sense of confidence and a new striker in Bodvarsson firing on all cylinders, the stars are aligning for Burton to repeat last season's home trick over an ailing Reading side.
There may be 13 places and 20 points between the two clubs in the table, but the form book does not reflect that disparity, and Bowyer's men have our vote to prevail even if their familiar defensive struggles at home rear their ugly heads.
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Ben Knapton
