Preview: Reading vs Northampton Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to move out of the relegation zone, Reading host Northampton Town at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Tuesday night in League One.

Sitting in 22nd place, the Royals will be seeking just their third league win of the campaign, while the Cobblers will be looking to build momentum and close in on the playoff spots.

Match preview

Winless in League One across their last four fixtures, Reading's most recent victory in the competition came on September 20, when they defeated Leyton Orient 2-1.

Noel Hunt's men have struggled for consistency at both ends of the pitch, with their 18 goals conceded ranking among the poorest defensive records in the division.

After keeping two clean sheets in their opening six matches, the Royals have since conceded in every League One game and currently sit just two points above bottom-placed Blackpool.

Despite Lewis Wing giving Reading the lead against Cardiff City, they were not able to hold on when Omari Kellyman and Yousef Salech fired back to hand Noel Hunt's side their fifth League One loss of the season.

The Select Car Leasing Stadium has, however, provided more comfort for Reading than their away fixtures.

The Royals have collected seven points from five League One matches on home soil and will be hoping to add to that tally under the lights on Tuesday night.

As for the visitors, Northampton Town are well on course to surpass last season's 51-point total, which saw them finish 19th in League One.

With five wins, two draws and five losses from 12 matches so far, Kevin Nolan's side continue to demonstrate improvement.

Second-half goals from Ethan Wheatley and Sam Hoskins earned the Cobblers an impressive away victory over Doncaster Rovers in their most recent league outing.

Defensively, Northampton have been among the division's most disciplined sides, with only three teams conceding fewer goals.

However, their 10 goals scored highlight a lack of attacking productivity, meaning their matches are often low-scoring affairs.

In all competitions, Northampton have lost only two of their last eight and remain unbeaten in both of their EFL Trophy fixtures this season.

Historically, Reading have enjoyed the upper hand in this fixture, losing only twice in league meetings this century, and they will be eager to maintain that record while building some much-needed momentum.

Reading League One form:

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Reading form (all competitions):

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Northampton Town League One form:

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Northampton Town form (all competitions):

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Team News

Reading have come away from the Welsh capital seemingly unscathed injury-wise and are expected to name a similar lineup to the one that narrowly lost to Cardiff City.

Jack Marriott's run of six consecutive scoring appearances came to an end on Saturday, but the forward is expected to continue leading the line.

Matt Ritchie, still searching for his first goal of the season, provided the assist for Reading's only strike last time out and is likely to retain his place on the right flank.

As for Northampton, their long injury list means they will be limited with who they can choose for Tuesday night's clash.

Jon Guthrie, Liam Shaw, Max Dyche, Tom Eaves and Elliott List are all expected to remain unavailable.

Jack Vale missed the trip to Doncaster after being forced off early against Rotherham United, and he is also expected to sit out Tuesday's encounter.

There is, however, some positive news for the Cobblers, with Lee Burge and Kyle Edwards both returning to the bench following injury layoffs and pushing for their first starts in several weeks.

Should Burge return in goal, Ross Fitzsimons would drop back to the bench.

Reading possible starting lineup:

Stevens; Abrefa, Burns, O'Connor, Dorsett; Wing, Doyle, Savage; Ritchie, Marriott, Lane

Northampton Town possible starting lineup:

Burge; McCarthy, Thorniley, Forbes; Hoskins, Campbell, Taylor, Guinness-Walker; Swyer, Wheatley, Fornah

We say: Reading 1-1 Northampton Town

With Reading struggling for form and Northampton's matches typically low-scoring, this encounter may prove to be a tight affair. While the Royals have shown more resilience at home, the Cobblers' defensive organisation should be enough to secure at least a share of the points.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.