Preview: Reading vs Barnsley - prediction, team news, lineups

Reading will be looking to get back to winning ways when they welcome Barnsley to the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday.

The hosts currently sit 11th in the League One table and are just four points off the playoffs, while the visitors are 15th and three points above the relegation zone.

Match preview

Reading saw their five-match unbeaten run come to an end last weekend as they lost 3-1 to Leyton Orient, with Dom Ballard scoring a hat-trick for the O's.

Royals boss Leam Richardson admitted after the game that his side were "outfought" by Orient and "allowed them to be good", challenging his players to bounce back immediately against Barnsley.

Before their defeat last weekend, Reading had picked up wins over Luton Town, Plymouth Argyle, Burton Albion and Stockport County and drawn with Peterborough United to move into promotion contention.

A win over Barnsley would significantly bolster their hopes of finishing in the top six and Reading do have an impressive record at home this season, with only five clubs picking up more points from the same number of games.

Jack Marriott will have a key role to play on Saturday, with the striker producing six goal contributions in his last six appearances, while new signings Ryan Nyambe and Haydon Roberts could also make their debuts.

Barnsley, meanwhile, picked up a huge win last weekend as they beat Blackpool 2-1 to end a run of five games without a win across all competitions.

David McGoldrick scored both goals for the Reds, the first time he has found the back of the net in a league game since August, and manager Conor Hourihane was "over the moon" with the result.

Barnsley will now be hoping to put together a positive run of form, having not won consecutive league games since November, and they will be buoyed by the fact they have not lost to Reading in their last six meetings.

The recent signings of Eoghan O'Connell and Owen Goodman and the return of Corey O'Keeffe from his loan spell at Stockport have bolstered Hourihane's squad and they are also set to welcome back top scorer Davis Keillor-Dunn and defender Marc Roberts from illness and injury respectively.

Reading League One form:

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Reading form (all competitions):

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Barnsley League One form:

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Team News

Reading could hand Roberts an immediate debut at left-back, with Jeriel Dorsett set to be dropped after a disappointing display against Orient.

Matt Ritchie could also drop to the bench, with Paddy Lane in line to replace him after making his first appearance since November last weekend when he came off the bench.

Club captain Lewis Wing is set to continue in midfield alongside Charlie Savage, with Marriott hoping to continue his good form up front.

Barnsley are set to recall Keillor-Dunn, with McGoldrick set to offer support in attack alongside Reyes Cleary.

However, Roberts may have to settle for a place on the bench as Hourihane manages his return to action from an Achilles injury he suffered in December.

Reading possible starting lineup:

Pereira; Yiadom, Burns, O'Connor, H. Roberts; Savage, Wing; Lane, Doyle, Kyerewaa; Marriott

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Goodman; Watson, O'Connell, Shepherd; O'Keeffe, Phillips, Kelly, Ogbeta; McGoldrick, Cleary; Keillor-Dunn