We are now into our final ten games and we need to win as many of those as possible to have any chance of the play-offs, which are still a realistic possibility at this stage. Our opponents Birmingham have had ownership issues in recent years, which means they are not the side they were a decade ago. We have one of the best away records in the division, while Birmingham have only won two of their 18 home games this campaign.
Vital Quotes:
Reading manager Nigel Adkins – ‘I want to get ourselves to the Premier League, the place is buzzing at the moment and there is so much positivity going around the football club. They`re a massive football club. They`ve got a big squad of players and Birmingham away is always going to be a challenging fixture. You can highlight several players throughout their team but we`ve done our homework and we`ll be as prepared as we can be. It`s about how we conduct ourselves and how we play our football.”
Birmingham Team News:
Our visitors Birmingham should have both Emyr Huws and Paul Robsinon fit, after knocks picked up last week. Lee Clark will not be able to select strikers Matt Green and Akwasi Asante, who are both injured for this one, while defender Neal Eardley has a knee injury.
Player to watch: Emyr Huws
The young midfielder on loan from Man City has made a very good impression so far with Blues, so much so that he won his first cap for the Wales national side. A creative midfielder, who clearly has a big future in the game.
Reading Team News:
Nigel Adkins had a fresh injury worry after the Derby game, with forward Hal Robson-Kanu coming off after thirty minutes and is therefore unlikely to be fit for this one. However, it seems that Pavel Pogrebnyak should be fit and likely to start in his place.
Adkins will be without midfielder Danny Williams though, who revealed that he probably won’t return until the Huddersfield game next week. Defender Sean Morrison returned to action in a behind-closed-doors game this week, so is getting closer to a return.
Despite Morrison returning, Wayne Bridge is still yet to resume full training, following a knee injury. The long-term absentees remain the midfield duo of Mikele Leigertwood and Jem Karacan, while Jason Roberts announced his retirement yesterday.
Player to watch: Pavel Pogrebnyak
The big Russian should return from injury for this one and will want to continue the form he had before his injury. It will be interesting to see how he links up with Drenthe behind him.
Match Facts & Stats
Birmingham – 4-5-1: Randolph, Caddis, Packwood, Martin, Robinson, Adeyemi, Lee, Burke, Shinnie, Huws, Novak
Reading – 4-5-1: McCarthy, Gunter, Pearce, Gorkss, Obita, Guthrie, Akpan, McCleary, Drenthe, McAnuff, Pogrebnyak
Ref Watch:
The referee for this one will be Dean Whitstone, who last refereed the Royals in 2011 in our 2-1 loss to Charlton in the Carling Cup. The last time he refereed the Blues was a League Cup defeat too, in a 3-2 loss to Coventry last season.
Match Prediction:
If we want to have any hope of the play offs, we need to be winning games like this. Birmingham don’t seem to have any confidence at home at the home, so we really need to take advantage of that with our good away form.
Vital Reading prediction: Birmingham 1 – 3 Reading
Next Fixtures:
Birmingham – Millwall (A) – Tuesday 25th March – SkyBet Championship
Reading – Barnsley (H) – Tuesday 25th March – SkyBet Championship
