Preview:Reading vs Port Vale - prediction, team news, lineups

Two League One teams still searching for their first victory of the new season square off at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday afternoon as Reading play host to Port Vale.

While the Royals are down in 23rd place in the third-tier standings after five matches, the Vale sit just one place higher in 22nd courtesy of goal difference.

Match preview

Noel Hunt revealed earlier this week that he is studying for his UEFA Pro Licence alongside his managerial duties at Reading, but his hopes of steering the Royals towards a promotion push this term have not gone to plan in the early stages.

After losing each of their first three league matches against Lincoln City, Huddersfield Town and AFC Wimbledon, Reading have drawn their last two third-tier games against Bolton Wanderers and Wycombe Wanderers, conceding an 89th-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw with the latter last weekend.

The Royals have at least had something to cheer about in the EFL Cup, as they have won first and second-round ties against Portsmouth and Wimbledon by a 2-1 scoreline, beating the latter on home soil on Tuesday to set up a third-round clash with Wrexham.

Reading are now hoping to transfer their winning cup run to League One and they should be confident of success on Saturday, as they have won five of their last six meetings with Port Vale, coming out on top in each of their last three on their own turf without conceding a single goal.

Port Vale have made an almost identical start to the new season as Reading, accumulating just two points from their opening five League One fixtures (D2 L3) and progressing to the third round of the EFL Cup thanks to 1-0 away wins over Blackpool and Birmingham City in rounds one and two respectively.

Jaheim Headley’s strike on the stroke of half time was enough for the Vale to claim a narrow victory at St Andrew's on Tuesday night, three days after they fell to a 1-0 league defeat at home to fellow newly-promoted side Doncaster Rovers.

Port Vale can look forward to an intriguing third-round cup tie with Premier League giants Arsenal next month, but before then, head coach Darren Moore intends to use the surprise midweek win against Championship opposition as the template for an improvement in his team’s poor form in League One.

The Vale can take comfort from the fact that they are unbeaten and have kept a clean sheet across their last three away games in all competitions, but they head into Saturday’s contest having won only three of their last 19 visits to Reading.

Reading League One form:

L L L D D

Reading form (all competitions):

L W L D D W

Port Vale League One form:

L D D L L

Port Vale form (all competitions):

D W D L L W

Team News

Reading midfielder Ben Elliott has been building up his match fitness since returning from a long-term injury, and after making a late substitute appearance in midweek, the 22-year-old could be recalled to the starting lineup on Saturday.

Jack Marriott and Matt Ritchie both joined the Royals earlier this week and the experienced duo are in contention to make their debuts, with the former pushing to start ahead of Mark O'Mahony up front and the latter set to battle with Mamadi Camara and 17-year-old Andre Garcia for a place on the left flank.

As for Port Vale, George Byers is available to return after serving a three-match ban and he could link arms in centre-midfield with Ryan Croasdale and either Funso Ojo or Jordan Shipley.

Jayden Stockley remains sidelined with a muscle injury, so Mo Faal could be joined in attack by either Ronan Curtis or Ben Waine, who are yet to score in any competition so far this season.

Reading possible starting lineup:

Pereira; Ahmed, Burns, Williams, Jacob; Elliott, Wing, Savage; Kyerewaa, Marriott, Camara

Port Vale possible starting lineup:

Gauci; John, Humphreys, Hall; Clark, Croasdale, Shipley, Byers, Headley; Faal, Curtis

We say: Reading 1-1 Port Vale

Both Reading and Port Vale will back themselves to follow up their midweek cup wins with another victory in League One, but there is little to separate these two evenly-matched teams and we feel that a low-scoring draw could be on the cards.

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