These two clubs currently occupy the last two spots in the Championship play-off places but will still be nervously looking over their shoulder at the likes of Fulham who’re looking to take their place – making this match between the two of them a huge six-pointer.
Sheffield Wednesday have been on a bit of a bad run recently and have won just one of their last five matches, losing three of them. They are still inside the top six but only by one point.
Much of the season for the Owls has been based on defensive solidity and their record of 37 conceded in 37 games is the fifth-best in the division. However, they have fallen apart at the back somewhat in the last few weeks with no clean sheet in their last six outings. Unfortunately for Wednesday, they do not have the firepower to really put teams to the sword and they have scored just three goals in their last five games.
One upside for Carlos Carvalhal’s men going into this match is their good home record with just one defeat in their last ten matches at Hillsborough. They have also scored in each of their last six matches on home soil and have failed to score on just one occasion in their last 16 on their own turf.
Like Wednesday, Reading have also been having a bit of a miserable time of late and in fact have had the exact number of points from their last five with just one win and three defeats in that time. They are one place above their Friday night opponents in the play-offs, but, with just three points between them and Fulham in 7th, they could still easily slip out of the top six.
In opposite fashion to the Owls, Jaap Stam’s men have been all-out-attack this campaign and can be devastating going forward – although they have failed to find the back of the net in their last two outings. However, with their attacking style, it means that they are incredible vulnerable at the back and they have not only the worst defensive record in the top six, but the top eight with 49 conceded. Their goal difference of 0 due to this poor back-line could really cost them.
The Royals are currently having a nightmare on their travels and have lost their last three away matches, conceding seven and scoring none. This is hardly unexpected though as Reading’s record outside of the Madejski Stadium this season has not been great with just 23 points taken from 18 games. Additionally, 35 of their 49 conceded overall have come away from home.
Neither side have been on a good run recently and so it will be interesting to see how they do in this crunch tie. I like the idea of a result-neutral market here given the circumstances, despite Wednesday being the favourites. ‘Over 2.5 Goals & Both Teams to Score‘, at 6/4, is very appealing. Wednesday’s declining defence may struggle to cope against this Reading attack whilst the Royals back-line has been simply been poor all season.
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