Sunderland vs Reading prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-02-10 15:00.
Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray bemoaned the absence of top-scorer Ross Stewart, who is out for the rest of the season, as his side slipped ever a little further away from the top-six with a 1-1 draw at Millwall. Although they remain within touching distance of the play-off positions, reduced preparation time for this clash due to a midweek FA Cup replay only serves to apply more pressure to this young side.
Tipping the balance of a perfectly split home league record (W5, D4, L5) in their favour is now the aim for Sunderland, who are seeking some consistency after alternating wins with losses across their last six home league games. Putting opposition sides to bed early could be the key to improving, as Sunderland are the only side in the league yet to win at home when leading at the interval (D2, L2).
Much like their hosts, Reading also came from behind to claw back a Championship point in a 2-2 draw with Watford in a result described as a “great achievement” by boss Paul Ince. No matter how he frames it, the reality is that Reading’s current five-game winless run of league games (D3, L2) has seen them slip into the mid-table abyss, albeit still well clear of the drop zone.
Away from home, Reading have played like relegation candidates with a paltry 11-goal haul and an unwanted league-high ten away losses (W3, D2). With 51 points still left to play for and only six to make up on the play-off positions, Ince must work on bringing Reading’s average points per away game (0.73) closer to their home return (1.93ppg) if they are to crash the play-off party.
Players to watch: Amongst a raft of injuries, the goalscoring burden of Sunderland’s Amad Diallo will foreseeably increase. Six of his seven league goals this term put his side 1-0 or 2-0 up. An identical return of seven league goals represents Tom Ince’s best scoring league season since 2016/17, a stat which ought to make his Reading manager and father, Paul Ince, proud.
Hot stat: Only Burnley have scored more second-half league goals than Sunderland’s 28 going into this round.