Reading vs Luton Town - Match Preview, Line-ups, and More

Reading vs Luton Town

SCHEDULE	TIME
GAME	Reading vs Luton Town
DATE	19/01/2022
TIME	15:00 PM (UTC)
VENUE	Select Car Leasing Stadium
LEAGUE	ENGLAND: Championship - Round 24

TV Channel Info

More Information

Streaming starts 5 minutes before kick off

Preview

◉ It’s been a poor 2022 for Reading, being ousted by non-league Kidderminster from the FA Cup and then hammered 7-0 by Fulham in their last home match. That has some fans calling for manager Veljko Paunović’s head, but he remains in charge and with the ‘Royals’ just three points above the relegation zone, he must find a way to end his side’s seven-game winless run at home (D3, L4).

◉ Reading actually led at half-time in three of those seven winless games, but capitulating after the break has been something of a common occurrence this season, with Paunović’s side letting in 72% of their conceded home league goals during the second half.

◉ Mid-table Luton Town have defied expectations in 2022 so far, taking points off the Championship’s top two (W1, D1), and in the process stringing together a four-game unbeaten run. They’ve not been easy to beat on the road either, and will travel here unbeaten in 64% of their Championship road trips (W3, D4, L4) with all three victories seeing the ‘Hatters’ win ‘to nil’ and lead at half-time.

◉ They did just that in their last H2H win at this venue too, and while still ten points off the playoff pace, a first H2H away win in the league since 1999 could spur belief that Luton could make the top six this term, especially as they have three games in hand on sixth-placed Middlesbrough. That would represent a miraculous rise up the English football pyramid for a side that was playing in the fifth tier as early as 2013/14.

◉ Players to watch: Former England cap and now Reading’s 1.93m target man Andy Carroll scored with his head last time out. However he’s going eye-to-eye with Luton’s 1.93m striker Elijah Adebayo, who’s scored four of his previous five Championship goals via his head.

◉ Hot stat: Only one of Luton’s last 13 games saw a goalless first half.

Reading starting lineup:

Southwood; Tetek, Holmes, Laurent, Bristow; Rinomhota, Drinkwater, Swift; Camara, Joao, Dele-Bashiru

Luton Town starting lineup:

Shea; Burke, Bradley, Naismith; Bree, Campbell, Mpanzu, Bell; Clark, Adebayo, Onyedinma

Prediction 

Reading 1-2 Luton Town

Even though they experienced contrasting fortunes at the weekend, both teams will feel encouraged by their respective performances. Nevertheless, we can only back the Hatters for this contest, the visitors potentially prevailing by the odd goal in three.