The 2017 Championship playoffs will get underway on Saturday when Fulham take on Reading at Craven Cottage in the first leg of their semi-final.
The home side finished sixth in the regular-season table, five points adrift of third-placed Reading, with both sides now looking towards Wembley and the one remaining promotion place to the Premier League.
Fulham
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It speaks volumes for Fulham's end-of-season form that they come into the playoffs as favourites to win promotion back to the top flight despite only finishing sixth in the final standings.
The Cottagers' place in the top six was effectively confirmed with one game to spare as six wins from their final eight outings saw them capitalise on regular slip-ups from Leeds United to clinch the final playoff spot.
That run included wins over both Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday - the other two teams in this season's playoffs - and having thrashed Reading 5-0 in the corresponding regular-season fixture, Slavisa Jokanovic knows that his side can beat any of the teams that stand in their way from now on.
Statistically Fulham's final league position puts them at a disadvantage, though. Of the last 11 teams to have finished sixth in the regular season, just one of them - Blackpool in 2009-10 - have managed to win promotion.
However, Fulham boast the Championship's best attack and finished the season with comfortably the best goal difference of teams outside the top two, having also conceded fewer than the likes of Reading and Huddersfield.
Jokanovic's side have scored at least one goal in their last 17 league outings and, if Saturday's match is anything like that 5-0 home win over Reading back in December, they could even wrap the tie up before the return trip to the Madejski on Tuesday.
Fulham have lost just one of their last 10 home outings in the Championship, a run which stretches back to January 2, and they also registered the second-best away record in the division during the regular season, so any victory this weekend would leave them very confident heading into the second leg.
It has been a long time since Fulham faced the unpredictable and unique atmosphere of the playoffs, though. This is their first taste of it since 1997-98, when Kevin Keegan's side were beaten in the League One playoff semi-finals by Grimsby Town.
A lot has changed for the West London outfit since then, and they spent a full 13 seasons in the Premier League before their relegation in 2014, with this representing their best chance to get back to the big time since.
Jokanovic is a manager with previous experience of guiding a club into the Premier League too, but having left in the summer of Watford's promotion in 2015 he will be even more desperate to finally get his shot at the top flight this time around.
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Reading
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Third place in the final Championship table is designed to give its inhabitant a supposedly kinder playoff draw, but Reading may feel that they have been dealt the toughest hand available.
Jaap Stam may have been a towering defensive presence during his playing days, but his side conceded more goals than any other team in the top seven of the Championship this season and coming up against the division's joint-highest scorers looks like the worst possible match for the Royals.
However, it should not be forgotten that Reading finished four points clear of their nearest challengers in the playoffs - five ahead of Fulham - and Stam will no doubt be keen to prove a point having seen his side made the outsiders to win promotion despite that fact.
The Royals won seven of their last nine regular-season outings, including a 4-2 win at Burton Albion on the final day, while they - like Fulham - have already beaten every other side involved in the playoffs this season.
The priority for this first leg will be to simply stay in the tie, though. Reading have lost more games away from home this season than they have won - including five of their last eight - while only rock-bottom Rotherham United conceded more goals on their travels than Stam's side during the regular season.
Compare that to their home form, where they were beaten only twice all season and amassed 53 points with only 16 goals conceded - both tallies only Brighton & Hove Albion could beat.
The team to have finished third in the regular season has won the playoffs more often than any other side - 10 of 28 - but Reading have their own playoff hoodoo to overcome if they are to add to that statistic.
The Royals have reached the playoffs five times in the Football League, including four in the second tier, and each time they have failed to win promotion - most recently losing 4-2 to Swansea City in the 2010-11 final.
Should they reach Wembley and lose again this year then they would equal Sheffield United's unwanted record of three second-tier playoff final defeats too, although they must first focus on dispatching Fulham before they worry about avoiding that fate.
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Team News
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Reading are hopeful of having captain Paul McShane available for this weekend's match after he played 45 minutes against Burton Albion to prove his fitness following a calf injury.
Joey van den Berg took over from the centre-back to also have a 45-minute run-out following a recent hamstring problem, while winger Garath McCleary is also in contention for a start despite missing last weekend's match with a groin injury.
Stephen Quinn (knee) and Deniss Rakels (ankle) are both nearing fitness, but Callum Harriott remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Fulham, meanwhile, will be without defender Ragnar Sigurdsson (calf) and Michael Madl (ankle) for the first leg - and likely Tuesday's return fixture at the Madejski too.
Jokanovic is hopeful of having the pair available if his side reach Wembley, though, and otherwise he has a fully-fit squad at his disposal.
Fulham possible starting lineup:
Bettinelli; Fredericks, Kalas, Ream, Malone; Cairney, McDonald, Johansen; Aluko, Martin, Sessegnon
Reading possible starting lineup:
Al Habsi; Gunter, McShane, Moore, Obita; Kelly, Evans, McCleary, Swift, Beerens; Kermorgant
Head To Head
Fulham have won just one of their last five meetings with Reading, although that did come in the most recent contest when Roy Beerens scored the only goal of the game at the Madejski in January.
The Royals were thrashed 5-0 on their most recent visit to Craven Cottage, though, with Chris Martin netting a brace for Fulham on their way to a convincing triumph back in December.
Indeed, Reading have been beaten on their last three trips to face Fulham, conceding 11 goals in the process. Both of these clubs were Premier League teams when the Royals last won at Craven Cottage in May 2013.
We say: Fulham 2-1 Reading
Fulham have momentum coming into these playoffs and, with their added goalscoring prowess, they will be a difficult proposition for any side. Reading, however, will merely be looking to stay in the tie after the first leg and may try to stifle their hosts as much as possible. We are backing Fulham to gain the upper hand, but Reading are unlikely to be on the end of another heavy defeat at the Cottage.
Barney Corkhill
