Play Off Rivals Clash As Leeds Visit

By Hob Nob Anyone?

After the international break, the Royals return to Championship action this weekend, playing Leeds United at the Madejski Stadium with a 5:30pm kick-off on Saturday. The game has been shifted to later in the day to allow Sky TV to screen the match live as both sides look to vital points to close in on a play-off finish. Immediately before the two week break, Reading put a poor run of form behind them to win away from home at play-off rivals Sheffield Wednesday. That huge result swung a play-off finish back in Reading's favour when they had looked in danger of dropping out. With that result and seventh placed Fulham losing at home to Wolves, Reading find themselves with a six point cushion keeping them inside the top six. A win over Leeds on Saturday, which is a big ask, would see Reading move back up to fourth with seven games of the season remaining.

It is rapidly approaching make or break time and this is our toughest, most important home fixture remaining. After Leeds we only have Blackburn, Rotherham and Wigan visiting Reading - which are surely all winable games as we look to finish the season on a high. Leeds come into the match having beaten second placed Brighton in their last fixture and have gone seven games without league defeat. Their last three games on the road have seen them pick up an impressive five points to keep them narrowly above the Royals in the table. With recent wins over Brighton and Sheffield Wednesday and a draw away at Fulham they probably fancy their chances of picking up a point or more.

The international break gave no new worries for Jaap Stam, whose available players seems to grow every week. Reece Oxford and John Swift both made appearances for England's younger sides and returned without injury. The break gave Paul McShane and Liam Kelly opportunities to continue their recoveries from injuries and both players will hope to be involved on Saturday. For Leeds United Kalvin Phillips returns from suspension but they will be without defender Luke Ayling.

Reading will be looking to reverse a bad run of recent results against Leeds. In our last five games we have failed to score in four of them. That run includes two goalless draws and three defeats. We lost 0-2 at Leeds earlier this season and picked up a point from them in the last campaign with the highlight, if you can call that, being a 0-0 home draw. A draw wouldn't be a terrible result, but if we can pick up three points it really will feel like a play-off finish is more likely than not.

Reading -v- Leeds - Previous Meetings Archive

Recent Meetings With Leeds United

DATE	COMPETITION	OPPOSITION	SCORE	REPORT
13 December 2016	Championship	Leeds (Away)	L: 0-2	Read report...
16 April 2016	Championship	Leeds (Away)	L: 2-3	Read report...
16 August 2015	Championship	Leeds (HOME)	D: 0-0	Read report...
10 February 2015	Championship	Leeds (HOME)	L: 0-2	Read report...
01 October 2014	Championship	Leeds (Away)	D: 0-0	Read report...
11 March 2014	Championship	Leeds (Away)	W: 4-2	Read report...
18 September 2013	Championship	Leeds (HOME)	W: 1-0	Read report...
06 April 2012	Championship	Leeds (HOME)	W: 2-0	Read report...
17 December 2011	Championship	Leeds (Away)	W: 1-0	Read report...
22 April 2011	Championship	Leeds (Away)	D: 0-0	Read report...
27 November 2010	Championship	Leeds (HOME)	D: 0-0	Read report...

From the Discussion

SU Sutekh 28 Mar 2017 · 9:56am

https://kit.genesissports.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/1024px-Reading_FC.svg_-300x300.png http://knoow.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Logo-Leeds-United-262x300.jpg Oh look, it’s another game against Leeds United. And there could well be another two on the horizon in May just for good measure. Deep joy. Hate home games with Leeds as they are usually so drab, lifeless and extremely difficult to get anything out of. Expecting them to appear, sling about 7 or 8 across the back all being thoroughly well marshalled and by their Swedish colossus Pontus Jansson and look for the clichéd breakaway header from Chris Wood. To top it all…
GE genome 28 Mar 2017 · 10:04am

Looks like Chris Wood is a doubt for this game.
CO CountryRoyal 28 Mar 2017 · 10:17am

Looks like Chris Wood is a doubt for this game. Would give me Wood if that's true.
WI windermereROYAL 28 Mar 2017 · 10:38am

5.30 kick off, 4000 pissed up Leeds fans. what is there to not like about this fixture? :shock:
CO CountryRoyal 28 Mar 2017 · 10:56am

5.30 kick off, 4000 pissed up Leeds fans. what is there to not like about this fixture? :shock: 5.30 kick off and 4000 pissed Leeds fans.
HO Hound 28 Mar 2017 · 11:07am

Rakels came on for Latvia over the weekend, so presumably fit. Whether he'll make the bench is open to question though. I'd like to see him back in saying that, a useful option unfortunately think you are right - they will defend deep and try to hit on the break. I'm expecting a pretty dull game and probably a low scoring or no score draw. Hopefully someone like McCleary or Swift can come up with a bit of magic to break them down. An early home goal would likely lead to a much more entertaining match.
WI windermereROYAL 28 Mar 2017 · 11:22am

They played like the away side up at Elland road. let us have 78% possession in our own half. can`t help thinking it will be the same tactics again.
CO CountryRoyal 28 Mar 2017 · 11:24am

So be it. I'd probably take a dull 0-0 with 0 shots for either team and take the point.

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