Preview: Burton Albion vs. Reading – prediction, team news, lineups
On Tuesday night, a Reading outfit out will play a Burton Albion team looking to win League One for the third time in a row in order to avoid suffering a third consecutive defeat.
Over the weekend, Gary Bowyer’s team defeated Rotherham United in a six-goal game, while their guests lost to Leyton Orient 2-0 on the road.
To use the age-old London bus analogy, Burton boss Bowyer had to wait over a month for his first victory in charge of his new club, having failed to win any of his opening six games at the helm after his December appointment. However, the hosting manager has now overseen back-to-back successes in the third tier, as his players followed up a gritty 2-1 triumph away to Wigan Athletic with a long-awaited home victory on Saturday, where Rotherham could not build on a second-minute opener. Instead, the Millers were forced to watch Burton new boy Jon Dadi Bodvarsson steal the show, as the experienced Icelandic striker made it three goals from as many games in his new kit, while JJ McKiernan and Ryan Sweeney also
Despite only losing one of their previous six League One games and taking seven of their last nine available points, Burton’s chances of surviving are still out of their control as they sit in 21st place, six points behind Peterborough United and Northampton Town.
The Brewers have given up at least one goal in each of their last nine games played in front of their own supporters, so even if they ended their agonizing wait for another home victory last time out, closing the back door at Pirelli Stadium is still a difficult task.
Reading, which saw their own wintertime comeback end, is ironically trying to avoid consecutive defeat number three while Burton Albion looks for their third straight victory.
Seven days after losing 3-1 at home to Stockport County, Noel Hunt’s team lost to Leyton Orient on Saturday, managing just three shots throughout the game and losing to goals from Charlie Kelman and Dilan Markanday before halftime.
The Royals, who had three wins and a draw from four League One games shortly after Christmas, have well and truly been brought back to earth amid a three-match losing streak, with a 3-1 FA Cup loss to Burnley also on their January record.
Nevertheless, Reading remain in the playoff chase in eighth spot and importantly have a game in hand on sixth-placed Barnsley – who are just one point better off – but they have now failed to find the back of the net in three of their previous four League One away encounters.
The Royals did strike twice on Burton’s turf last April, but they also failed to shut up shop in a 3-2 setback, one which they avenged earlier this season with a 3-1 triumph at the Madejski Stadium due to Chem Campbell (two) and Sam Smith.
Burton came out of Saturday’s triumph with no new problems on the injury or suspension front, although centre-back Geraldo Bajrami is still on the mend from the terrible ACL injury he
As a result, Jack Armer, Terence Vancooten, and recent goal scorer Sweeney are ready to return to Bowyer’s back three, while Billy Bodin, Danilo Orsi, and Rumarn Burrell are all fighting for a spot up top with the highly effective Bodvarsson.
However, Hunt stated after the game that Jeriel Dorsett had suffered a suspected hamstring injury during a sprint, forcing Reading to make a change just six minutes into their match against Leyton Orient.
The 22-year-old will take additional tests this week to assess the extent of his concerns, but given that captain Andy Yiadom has just recently resumed training following a nine-month break, Abraham Kanu may need to step in at left-back for the time being.
Kanu, who was 19 at the time, was brought on to replace the injured player and then replaced himself.
Burton Albion possible starting lineup:
Crocombe; Armer, Vancooten, Sweeney; Godwin-Malife, McKiernan, Webster, Chauke, Dodgson; Orsi, Bodvarsson
Pereira, Craig, Dean, Bindon, Kanu; Savage, Wing, Knibbs; Campbell, Smith, Ehibhatiomhan are reading potential starting lineups.
We say: Reading 2-1 Burton Albion
The stars are aligning for Burton to repeat last season’s home trick over a struggling Reading team, especially with a newfound sense of confidence and a new striker in Bodvarsson playing at full capacity.
Even though the two teams are separated by 13 spots and 20 points in the table, the form book does not show that difference, and Bowyer’s team has our choice to win even if their well-known defensive problems at home resurface.
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