MX23RW : Tuesday, March 19 11:18:02| >> :600:361703:361703:
[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Adkins could name an unchanged side to the one that beat QPR after Kaspars Gorkss had his red card rescinded, with Jason Roberts, Jem Karacan, Wayne Bridge, Mikele Leigertwood and Sean Morrison all still struggling with injuries.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
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Portsmouth392411463323183
2Derby CountyDerby39246969343578
3Bolton WanderersBolton39228971432874
4Peterborough UnitedPeterborough38218974462871
5Barnsley382011770482271
6Oxford UnitedOxford Utd391891262521063
7Lincoln CityLincoln3916131056332361
8Stevenage3817101149381161
9Blackpool391791357421560
10Leyton Orient391610134444058
11Wigan AthleticWigan39177155348550
12Wycombe WanderersWycombe381311145049150
13Bristol Rovers38148164857-950
14Northampton TownNorthampton39148175060-1050
15Exeter CityExeter39138183352-1947
16Charlton AthleticCharlton391015145758-145
17Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury39135212955-2644
18Reading39139175557-242
19Burton Albion38109193150-1939
20Cambridge UnitedCambridge38109193255-2339
21Cheltenham TownCheltenham3798203050-2035
22Fleetwood TownFleetwood39713194161-2034
23Port Vale3789203561-2633
24Carlisle UnitedCarlisle3858253367-3423

Subscribe to our newsletter


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!