Reading hope to keep their play-off dreams alive when they face Swansea

Reading and Swansea City have both gone off the boil in recent months and will be hoping to put things right, when they face off in the Championship this weekend.

Despite a flying start to the 2020/21 campaign, the Royals have jeopardised their promotion hopes recently. They have drawn five of their last eight games in the second tier, which includes successive draws against Cardiff City and Luton Town.

Veljiko Paunovic’s men have won one game in their previous eight outings and currently occupy seventh place, six points behind Barnsley with just three games left of the campaign.

Things have gone from bad to worse for the Royals as top scorer Lucas Joao is set to be sidelined for the rest of the season. Joao dislocated his right shoulder in Reading’s 1-1 stalemate against Cardiff last weekend.

He has 26 goal involvements in 36 games this season which is the fourth best in the division. Only Emiliano Buendia (28), Teemu Pukki (29) and Ivan Toney (39) have contributed to more.

Not only will Reading miss the striker’s goals but his interplay with the likes of Michael Olise and Ovie Ejaria. The pressure is on back-up striker George Puscas to deliver in the remaining few games.

The Reading boss has been unimpressed with his side’s lack of clinical nature in front of goal:

“You have to be clinical; we have to know it’s not going to be an easy or perfect opportunity, it’s probably going to be a sloppy ball, or a bounce-back or a rebound.

“We have to have that killer instinct… understanding how important it is that you get in the final third, you get set, finish, score. We’ve got to work on that.”

However, Paunovic is happy with his players’ application.

“We’re all giving the best at this point, with all the circumstances. There is no doubt the guys are giving their best. And I want to think like that.

If I saw something different, you can bet we would take action on that. Definitely, I have full belief in the group and full commitment.”

Reading look set to remain in the Championship next season unless Barnsley or Brentford somehow fall apart in their remaining matches and they can take advantage of it.

Meanwhile Swansea’s hopes of achieving automatic promotion have fallen apart in recent weeks, and will have to settle for the play-offs for a second successive season.

Steve Cooper’s side have lost five of their last eight league games which is as many defeats in their previous 30 matches this season. The Swans lost 1-0 to QPR last time out, Lyndon Dykes’ 90th minute winner condemning the Welsh side to their 11th defeat of the campaign.

Despite the poor run of form Cooper still has his sights set on finishing the season strong:

“I think it is that time of the season, where the psychological element is a factor.

“But for us it is a positive situation because we are at the right end of the table, you just have to really focus on the finish line.

“It’s final stretch and we want to go and finish on a positive.”

They will have to make do without top goal scorer Andre Ayew at the Madejski Stadium, after the Ghanian picked up a hamstring injury against Wycombe Wanderers.

Swansea are unbeaten against Reading in 14 games in all competitions, and have won their last two visits to the Madejski 4-1.

The last time the Royals were victorious against them was back in September 2008. However, the hosts’ home form will provide reassurance as Reading are unbeaten in their last five matches.

The reverse fixture in December ended 0-0 at the Liberty Stadium, but expect Sunday’s match to be more open as both sides looking to end torrid runs of form.

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