Reading have now had six points deducted by the EFL for a second consecutive season, causing a headache for all involved. Sitting just one point above 22nd-placed Huddersfield Town with seven games left of the season, the Royals find themselves in a precarious position.
Last time out, Paul Ince's Reading secured their first away point of 2023, coming from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against Nigel Pearson's Bristol City at Ashton Gate. Tommy Conway struck for the hosts just before the break, with Lucas João's header 20 minutes from time rescuing a point.
Birmingham City secured their third win in four games last Saturday, beating promotion-chasing Blackburn Rovers 1-0 at St. Andrew's. Former Rovers player Reda Khadra scored the decisive goal on the hour mark, lifting Blues to 16th place.
-
Team news
After his goal from the bench last week, Lucas João will want to start as Ince may shuffle his pack around in search of a first win in six games. Mamadou N'Diaye is suspended and Liam Moore remains sidelined with a foot injury sustained against Hull City two weeks ago.
As for Saturday's opponents, there are no new injury concerns, with Dion Sanderson out for the remainder of the season and Troy Denney edging closer to a return but not yet match-fit. John Eustace seems to have found a system his players feel comfortable playing in, so any drastic changes seem unlikely.
-
Predicted lineups
Reading (3-5-2)
Lumley, Mbengue, Holmes, Sarr, Yiadom, Casadei, Hendrick, Azeez, Guinness-Walker, Carroll, Joao
Birmingham City (4-2-3-1)
Ruddy, Colin, Long, Roberts, Trusty, Bacuna, Bielik, Khadra, Hall, Chong, Jutkiewicz
-
Ones to watch
Reading - Cesare Casadei
Many fans and pundits see a promising future ahead for Cesare Casadei, joining Chelsea from Inter last summer for £13 million.
Casadei signed for Reading in January, a loan deal which offers the chance of more game time. Since debuting against Watford in February, the Italian has played as a centre-midfielder, bridging the gap between defence and attack.
Casadei has already scored in Reading colours, netting against Blackburn last month. The midfield battle will be intriguing on Friday, and Casadei's performance may be the factor that settles the result.
Birmingham City - Kevin Long
Since joining as a free agent from Burnley in January, the performances of Kevin Long have come under some scrutiny.
Many Blues fans put this down to a lack of match fitness because Long's minutes were limited at Burnley this season. Despite shaky performances, Eustace has persisted with Long, a choice that seems to be paying off as Blues have kept three clean sheets in the last four games, with Long playing every minute.
The direct threat of Andy Carroll and Lucas João will be fearsome to contend with on Friday, but Long certainly has form going into this battle, giving the Irish centre-back a boost in confidence.
-
Previous meetings
This game has provided plenty of goals in recent years, with Reading and Birmingham each scoring in the last seven meetings, resulting in a combined 26 goals, with Birmingham winning 3-2 in the previous matchup back in December.
-
Match details
Where is the game being played?
The game is being played at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, home of Reading F.C.
What time is kick-off?
The game will kick off at 15:00 BST on Friday, April 7 and the match referee will be Scott Oldham.
How can I watch?
Unfortunately, the game has not been selected for Sky Sports Red Button coverage, meaning the game is not available to watch in the U.K.
Fans worldwide can listen to the game via club websites. Pay-per-view is available to purchase on BluesTV for £10. Match highlights will be available shortly after the full-time whistle.