Reading vs Sheffield Utd prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-03-06 20:00.
A season that began with promise of a play-off push has quickly unravelled for Reading, with an impending points deduction threatening their Championship safety. Morale would have been further hit by a royal 5-0 thrashing against Middlesbrough, which left manager Paul Ince fuming at the referee for a couple of ādiabolical decisionsā that cost his side dearly.
Ince ought to be worried about his sideās form as Reading have won just two of their last ten league games (D3, L5). A leaky defence is blighting the Berkshire outfit, with their 53 goals conceded the joint-most of any side in the division. Despite that, home comforts could inspire a positive result: only two sides have lost fewer games on home soil than Readingās three (W10, D3) courtesy of a seven-game unbeaten run in home Championship games (W5, D2) stretching back to November.
Sheffield United may not be particularly optimistic they can break that streak after failing to win each of their last four away games in this competition (D2, L2). That trend continued with a 1-0 loss away to Blackburn that slightly weakened their grip on automatic promotion, with manager Paul Heckingbottom concerned about their fluency and energy during that defeat to Blackburn.
Despite results not falling their way, Heckingbottomās men still boast the joint-best defensive record on the road in the Championship this season (GA: 15), while theyāve also won each of their last four visits to Reading. Thatās part of a dominant recent H2H run which has seen the Blades lose just two of their last 14 meetings with Reading (W11, D1), so a return to form could well be on the cards.
Players to watch: Reading forward Andy Carroll will be looking to break his career scoring duck against Sheffield United, and heās seen four of his six goals this term arrive after half-time. Looking to do the damage for the Blades will be Oli McBurnie who has netted a joint-career high five times against Reading, including once in their 4-0 win over Reading in the reverse H2H.
Hot stat: Championship matches involving Reading are averaging 2.68 goals per game this season, the fourth-largest total in the division.