Nottingham Forest vs Reading: LIVE stream and score updates in EFL Championship (4-0): Forest cruising versus shambolic Royals

What a victory for Steve Coopers men!

A real second half show did the trick, as a brace from Keinan Davis was added to by a Ryan Yates stunner and a goal off of the bench from Sam Surridge.

The Reds will be disappointed and worried about the conditions of Max Lowe and Steve Cook going forward, but the points stay in the Midlands on an otherwise perfect day for Nottingham Forest.

I've been Louis Wheeldon, and thank you for joining me here on VAVEL!

A bit of a dampener for Forest, as Steve Cook is forced to withdraw through injury.

This Nottingham Forest team are something special.

 

ITS FOUR!

The super subs combine!

Xande Silva whips in a beauty for Sam Surridge who fires home first time!

A change for either side as Barker replaces Hoilett for Reading and Xande Silva comes on for Brennan Johnson.

Its three for The Reds!

Forest build up beautifully to set up Yates, who batters home a scorcher from 25 yards!

A standing ovation for Keinan Davis as he is replaced by Sam Surridge, to a chorus of "sign him up" from The City Ground.

Big let-off for Horvath, who has been superb apart from there.

A lacklustre kick out falls to Drinkwater, who fires wide of the open goal from range.

It's Davis at the double, and what a goal is is!

Davis picks up the ball in midfield and slaloms his way past two players into the box, before firing it in off of the post! Unreal!

Ejaria replaces Rinomhota for the visitors.

Garner whips in a beauty from the free-kick that barely evades Davis and Scott McKenna.

Cafu has Morrison on toast with a lovely flick, before the Reading captain goes into the book with his subsequent challenge.

Cook has an audacious go on the volley, but it sails into the crowd.

And Reading get us back underway for the second half.

The whistle brings a close to the first 45.

A sumptious, rapid-fire goal from Keinan Davis gives Forest the lead at the break.

Really good chance to level the score. Josh Laurent heads a sitter wide.

And there is that change. Cafu comes on in Lowe's place, and Jack Colback will take up a spot at left wing-back.

Looks like Lowe is going to be taken off in the aftermath of that as he gets treated.

Meite causes some problems on the right and shoots from a tight angle, but Horvath parries it behind.

Forest press forward, but can't quite work an opening. Davis bursts into the area, but fires off target from a tight angle.

Colback goes into the book for a challenge on Ince.

Reading just starting to wake up a bit now. Horvath pulls off a very good save to deny Morrison.

McIntyre sends a ball down the line for Ince, but Cook mops up. Reading look breathless.

Former Forest man Tom Ince goes into the book for dissent.

McIntyre brings down Spence on the right of the box, and James Garner's dangerous ball falls to Brennan Johnson who fires wide.

1' 19 seconds is all it took!

Worrall knocks it down the line for Djed Spence, who cuts the ball back for Keinan Davis, who turns and smashes it home from close range!

1' The game is underway!

We are just moments minutes away from kick-off at The City Ground.

Todays game is Steve Coopers 30th in charge of Nottingham Forest.

The Welshman has statistically made a better start to life at the club than any Forest manager this century.

Southwood (GK), Yiadom, McIntyre, Morrison, Dann, Drinkwater, Laurent, Rinomhota, Hoilett, Ince, Meite

Subs: Nyland (GK), Abrefa, Dele-Bashiru, Ejaria, Barker, Joao, Clarke

Horvath (GK), Spence, Worrall, Cook, McKenna, Lowe, Yates, Colback, Garner, Johnson, Davis

Subs: Samba (GK), Figueirdo, Cafu, Lolley, Silva, Mighten, Surridge

We are just 10 minutes away from the team news being announced.

THOMAS BRAMALL
Nick Greenhalgh and Robert Merchant
Fourth Official : Geoff Eltringham

Nottingham Forest: Horvath, Worrall, Cook, McKenna, Spence, Lowe, Yates, Colback, Garner, Johnson, Davis

Reading: Southwood, Yiadom, Morrison, Dann, McIntyre, Drinkwater, Rinomhota, Ince, Swift, Hoilett, Joao

These line-ups were kindly selected by our good friend Callum Castel-Nuovo, you can catch his preview for the game here.

Steve Cooper has a welcome headache ahead of kick-off regarding his goalkeeping department.

Ethan Horvath was given a chance to shine during Brice Samba's three-match suspension, and made good on his chance with some impressive showings, earning him a start in the Huddersfield win when Samba was available again.

But, with Reading seen as a beatable opponent, tomorrow may present the perfect opportunity to give Samba a chance to redeem himself and get back in the team, despite Horvath's fantastic recent form.

Now I am certainly not a gambling man, but with the continued successes of Steve Cooper's side, mixed in with Reading's poor recent form, topped off with a visit to a ground they haven't won at in 9 nine years? I'm opting for a clean, professional 2-0 Forest win.

The game will kick off at 15:00/3pm BST.

Unfortunately, the game is not available on television, meaning the only way to watch the action is through iFollow for viewers outside of the UK and Ireland.

Lucas Joao has scored six goals in his last nine league appearances, all before the 25th minute. If the forward is fit enough to play in this fixture, Forest will look to nullify any threat from the Portuguese striker.

 

Ryan Yates has scored two injury-time equalisers for Forest in the last four league games as well as scoring the winner against Huddersfield in the FA Cup last time out. 

The two sides have met a total of 51 times in all competitions.

The stats favour the hosts, who have been victorious 20 times. The fixture has ended level 14 times, and Reading have succeeded a total of 17 times against The Reds.

The first time these two teams met was in a two-legged FA Cup tie way back in February 1903. The first leg was a 0-0 draw, but Forest won 6-3 in the next.

Reading will come into the game off the back of consecutive defeats to Blackpool (4-1) and Millwall (1-0), leaving them five points ahead of the drop zone. Additionally, The Royals are seeking their first win at The City Ground since November 2013.

Forest will be coming into this game on a high, after booking their place in the last eight of the FA Cup with a 2-1 win over Huddersfield last time out, as well as being undefeated in their last five league matches.

Welcome to VAVEL! My name is Louis Wheeldon, and I will be your host for todays game. Join us right here on VAVEL for live updates, pre-game analysis and live news.

Located in Nottingham, England, todays venue was erected in 1898 and has a capacity of 30,445 people.