Reading vs Stoke prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2022-09-03 11:00.
Sitting top of the table ahead of the last round was something of a fever dream for Reading, a team widely tipped in pre-season to be relegated. It was short lived though, as they were toppled from the top by a Sheffield United side that outclassed Paul Ince’s men in a 4-0 defeat during midweek, in a game where the Royals didn’t even manage a single shot on target! On a more positive note, Ince’s ranks have at least been bolstered by the re-signing of full-back Baba Rahman.
Reading have started strong at home, beginning their Championship campaign with three straight wins here for the first time since a run of four in 2020/21, a season where they eventually went on to miss out on the play-offs by one place! While a repeat effort may seem unlikely, they have looked solid here with six goals scored since the last time they conceded in the league.
The Alex Neil era began at Stoke City with a midweek draw against Swansea courtesy of a late equaliser by Tyrese Campbell, though Neil believed his side deserved to win. The deadline day signing of defender Dujon Sterling from Chelsea was Neil’s first bit of business as manager, with the aim of improving a backline that’s kept just two clean sheets in their opening seven Championship games.
While the visitors enter this clash as tepid favourites, it may be wise to take that with a pinch of salt as they’ve failed to win four of their five league games when favoured by the bookies this term (W1, D2, L2). That, coupled with Stoke’s dreadful away H2H record across the last 17 league away meetings (W1, D7, L9) and Neil’s woeful personal record against the Royals (W2, D1, L6), indicates this game could go either way.
Players to watch: On-loan Tyrese Fornah hadn’t scored a senior goal since 2020/21, yet he made his first two goal contributions for Reading in their last two home games (G1, A1). As for Stoke, no player has scored more away league goals than Lewis Baker’s seven since the start of last season, including both of their away goals this term!
Hot streak: None of Stoke’s last eight away league games ended level (W3, L5).