Steve Cooper’s Swansea City side are still in with a chance of making the Sky Bet Championship play-offs on the final day, as they look to narrowly edge out Nottingham Forest and their South Wales rivals – Cardiff City.

The odds still look stacked against Cooper’s Welsh outfit, with Nottingham Forest boasting a superior goal difference of five and Cardiff being three points ahead with bottom of the league Hull City to play at home.

However, we’ve seen stranger things happen in the Championship and winning this fixture will still give them an outside shot nonetheless.

  • Form

Swansea have been in relatively good form over recent weeks, losing just once in their last five league matches. Results on the road also haven’t been a problem for the Swans, who haven’t tasted defeat in six matches on their travels.

They come into the season finale fresh off the back of a victory on Saturday at the Liberty Stadium against managerless Bristol City.

Reading have lost exactly half of their games since the restart but will be keen to end the season on a high note at home, after what’s been a disappointing return of points on home turf at the Madejski Stadium this campaign.

The Royals were involved in one of the games of the weekend this past Saturday, as they fell to defeat to Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, in a seven-goal thriller that edged in Rovers favour 4-3.

  • Favourites ahead of the clash 

Swansea haven’t lost to Reading in 12 matches across all competitions, in an unbeaten run that goes back to 2008 and they will big favourites ahead of this clash.

The Royals are currently 15th in the division and have been marooned in mid-table with nothing to play for in recent weeks, however, Mark Bowen will want to finish the season on a high and diminish any slight hopes Swansea have of making the top six.

  • Previous meetings 

The meeting between these two sides earlier on this campaign saw Reading score a late equaliser for a share of the points in South Wales. Andy Yiadom was the man who rescued a point for Reading and cancelled out Borja Baston’s third-minute opener.

Despite not defeating Swansea since 2008 and becoming a real bogey side in recent years, historically Reading have the upper hand on the play-off chasers. In the 80 times the club’s have met, the Royals edge it with 33 victories to Swansea’s 32. In addition, the sides have played out 15 draws.

  • Players to watch out for 

Rhian Brewster has been in great goalscoring form since the restart, netting five times, as he continues to impress during his loan spell from Premier League champions – Liverpool. Four of the five goals from the youngster, since the season resumed, have come on the road and the striker will be keen to add more as he looks to further impress both Cooper and Jurgen Klopp.

Andre Ayew is also a threat for the Swans. The Ghanaian international has scored 15 goals this campaign, as well as contributing six assists for his side.  

Reading’s John Swift hasn’t been linked with a £3.5 million move to Sheffield United for nothing and he’s been very impressive this season. The attacking midfielder has scored six goals and provided 10 assists, but it’s his dogged work ethic and dangerous dribbling ability that makes him so dangerous.

Swansea will be grateful that Ovie Ejaria won’t be in the Reading side. The Liverpool loanee has been an astute loan signing from the Royals and is always a consistent performer in the heart of midfield.

 

 

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