Birmingham away will not be easy

Imagine your team were only three points away from the relegation zone. As a player you would fight tooth and nail to ensure points go on the board. As a fan you’d pray to any of the football gods you believe in, while as a manager you would park the bus. In short: Birmingham away will not be easy for Reading, but good teams are formed during games like this.

Reading’s 1-1 draw against Forest was frustrating and post match images of the saddened players showed us just how much it hurt. Still there are positives. It’s a point, not a defeat, and the playoffs remain a realistic aim for Paunovic’s troops. 

Being away from home and dominating the game like Reading did is no easy task. No less than 23 attempts were created and a repeat of that attacking intent would almost certainly bring three points home against Birmingham. Birmingham have one of the worst defensive records in the Championship and have lost their last two games, however they are hoping to have a new manager in place by Wednesday as they work to lure Lee Bowyer to the club. Their latest defeat, a 3-0 home loss to Bristol will automatically boost Reading’s confidence going into this crucial game.

It was thrilling to see Yakou Meite on the scoresheet again for the Royals as he continues to improve. You can back him at 5/1 or 6.00 to score the game’s first goal on Wednesday night. 

The games are coming in thick and fast with the Hoops Derby scheduled for Saturday too. 

Reading are hungry and the disappointment a draw brings shows the team’s spirit and burning desire to achieve more. This will motivate them to go out with more intensity in the first half against Birmingham. You can back the Royals at 7/1 or 8.00 to win both halves as Reading have scored in the first half in three of their last four matches.