Reading look to keep pace in the promotion race with a win against Stoke City

Reading will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to seven league games this weekend when they travel to Staffordshire to take on Michael O’Neill’s Stoke City side.

Stoke have been lingering around the outskirts of the play-off places for almost the entire second quarter of the Championship season, but the Potters are facing a crisis in confidence at the moment as they look to end a run of nine competitive games without a win.

Only Millwall (14) have drawn more games than Michael O’Neill’s side (11) this season, with Saturday’s hosts struggling to see out victories against teams lower down in the table. The Potters have drawn against relegation strugglers Rotherham and an injury-hit Huddersfield side in the last couple of weeks and will need to drastically improve if they’re to be in with a shout here.

Bournemouth’s torrid recent form has kept O’Neill’s side in the play-off race with the hosts still just four points off the pace in the battle for sixth place, but Stoke could find themselves in the bottom half by the end of the weekend if they lose here and results elsewhere go against them.

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This game comes in the middle of what Reading manager Veljko Paunovic has dubbed ‘revenge month’. The visitors have already avenged defeats against Bournemouth and Coventry in the past couple of weeks and will be looking to improve on November’s embarrassing 3-0 defeat against Stoke on Saturday.

The Royals thrashed fellow playoff contenders Bournemouth 3-1 last time out and travel to the bet365 Stadium looking to extend their unbeaten run to seven league games. Paunovic’s side have lost just one of their last seven league games on the road and are keeping pace with the likes of Norwich, Brentford and Swansea in the promotion race. The Royals will fancy their chances when they travel to Staffordshire this weekend.

Team news

Stoke have one fresh absentee ahead of this weekend’s clash. Sheffield United loanee Rhys Norrington-Davies begins a suspension after he was sent off against Huddersfield. Michael O’Neill will also be without long-term absentees Tyrese Campbell, Niki Maenpaa and Morgan Fox.

The absence of Norrington-Davies will see O’Neill switch to a 3-5-2 system with James McClean filling in on the left and Tommy Smith likely to return on the right. One other change is on the cards with Jacob Brown in contention for a recall up top.

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Reading have no fresh injury concerns but will be without Brazilian defensive midfielder Felipe Araruna, who was on course for a return but has suffered an injury setback in the past week. George Puscas is sidelined after undergoing surgery on a hernia in January and Liam Moore remains sidelined with a more serious ankle injury.

One change is on the cards for the visitors with Andy Yiadom likely to make his long-awaited return. Yakou Meite is back fit but Michael Olise and Ovie Ejaria should keep their spots in the starting XI following last weekend’s performances.

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