MX23RW : Friday, November 8 12:25:13| >> :120:20626:20626:
[monks data]
Reading logo
Championship
Feb 22, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Blackburn logo

0-1

FT(HT: 0-1)
Conway (36')

Preview: Reading vs. Blackburn Rovers

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship encounter between playoff-chasing pair Reading and Blackburn at the Madejski Stadium.

With a number of teams enviably eyeing Reading's current league position of sixth in the Championship table, they will be eager not to slip up when they host Blackburn Rovers at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday.

The Royals occupy the final playoff spot and have a four-point gap separating them from their nearest two challengers, but they both have a game in hand and will be looking to pounce upon any mistake.

Confidence will be sky-high at the Madejski, however, as they beat promotion-chasing Queens Park Rangers 3-1 at Loftus Road on Sunday, handing Harry Redknapp's side just their second home league defeat of the season.

Nigel Adkins will stress the importance of building on that victory, however, after they followed up good wins over Blackpool and Millwall with a disappointing home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday recently.

They have won five and lost two of their last seven matches, finding the back of the net 19 times during that spell while conceding eight.

Their home form has been mixed recently, however. Having begun the season with a nine-match unbeaten streak at the Madejski, they have lost three, drawn one and won two of the next six.

Adkins could name an unchanged side to the one that beat QPR after Kaspars Gorkss had his red card rescinded, with Jason Roberts, Jem Karacan, Wayne Bridge, Mikele Leigertwood and Sean Morrison all still struggling with injuries.

Blackburn are one of the teams throwing envious glances towards Reading, and they will not have given up on catching the Royals just yet.

A victory on Saturday for the visitors would close the gap between them to four points, while Blackburn also have the luxury of a game in hand to further put pressure on Adkins's side.

However, wins have not come easily for Rovers recently, with just one in their last six matches in all competitions.

Their main problem has come through drawing games having shared the spoils in three of their last four Championship outings - the only exception being a 2-0 win over Blackpool.

Three points would be invaluable for Gary Bowyer's team, but it is something they have managed just three times on the road this season, drawing six and losing six away from home.

They haven't won any of their last four, but have held Barnsley and Middlesbrough to draws in their last two, and would settle for a similar result on Saturday.

Blackburn have not played for two weeks and will be without Bowyer on the sidelines after he was handed a touchline ban for his conduct during his side's 2-2 draw with Barnsley last month.

The manager is likely to name an unchanged side for the game, keeping faith with Jordan Rhodes up front despite the goals drying up for the Scotsman.

Recent form

Reading: WLWWWLW

Blackburn: LLDDWD

Possible starting lineups

Reading: McCarthy; Gunter, Pearce, Gorkss, Obita; McCleary, Akpan, Williams, McAnuff; Pogrebnyak, Le Fondre

Blackburn: Robinson; Kane, Hanley, Dann, Spurr; Taylor, Lowe, Cairney, Dunn; Gestede; Rhodes

Sports Mole says: 2-1


ID:139667: cacheID:139667:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6101:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Reading manager Nigel Adkins looks on during the match against Ipswich on August 3, 2013
Read Next:
Team News: Reading unchanged from Bolton thrashing
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
FT
Bengals
34-35
Ravens
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Wycombe WanderersWycombe1392231161529
2Birmingham CityBirmingham1292123111229
3Wrexham1374221101125
4Mansfield TownMansfield127322014624
5Lincoln CityLincoln137332016424
6Bolton WanderersBolton137242219323
7Huddersfield TownHuddersfield137151912722
8Barnsley136432118322
9Reading137152120122
10Stockport CountyStockport145632017321
11Exeter CityExeter126151310319
12Charlton AthleticCharlton135441514119
13Peterborough UnitedPeterborough145362526-118
14Rotherham UnitedRotherham144551416-217
15Stevenage145271015-517
16Blackpool134452125-416
17Bristol Rovers135171520-516
18Northampton TownNorthampton134361720-315
19Wigan AthleticWigan133551211114
20Leyton Orient133281118-711
21Crawley TownCrawley143291225-1311
22Cambridge UnitedCambridge123181117-610
23Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury1422101325-128
24Burton Albion130581325-125


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!