Reading and Watford meet at Vicarage Road on Saturday: two clubs currently occupying places in the top six of the Championship standings with kickoff at 5 pm.
Rob Edwards, Watford’s manager, will be delighted that the club can hold onto Ismaila Sarr and Joao Pedro.
However, he will recognise that the Hornets need to refocus if they stay in the top six. Their only success in five games was a last-gasp win over Middlesbrough, with six points coming during that period.
Given that they only have three victories to their name in eight matches, Edwards and the Hornets will be more than satisfied with their current sixth spot in the table.
Reading’s winning streak has extended to five matches after the club defeated Blackburn Rovers 3-1 on Saturday.
Only one player—Lucas Joao—has scored more than once in the second tier, but Paul Ince will not care where the goals had come from on the back of five wins being posted from eight matches when they had been expected to feature in the relegation zone.
Reading fans know from past experiences that they should not get carried away at this stage, but there is also little reason not to be optimistic about the job that Ince continues to do at the Berkshire outfit.
Watford vs Reading Head to Head
Both sides have 19 games against each other, with hosts taking seven wins while visitors with four wins. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
- Rotherham 1-1 Watford
- Watford 2-1 Middlesbrough
- Watford 2-3 QPR
- Watford 0-2 MK Dons
Away
- Reading 2-1 Stoke City
- Sheffield United 4-0 Reading
- Millwall 0-1 Reading
- Reading 1-0 Middlesbrough
Watford Team News
Watford boss Javi Gracia must decide whether to give a debut to Keinan Davis. He scored 20 goals for League Two Accrington Stanley last season, with Joao Pedro potentially being deployed in a deeper role. Yaser Asprilla could be the player to miss out, with the rest of the Watford XI possibly staying the same.
Reading Team News
If midfielder Mamadou Loum is passed fit for Reading, manager Paul Ince could be tempted to name a more defensive-minded side. This would see Thomas Ince partner Joao in attack, dropping into a deeper position when the Royals do not have the ball.
Prediction and Odds
It is impossible to predict what Reading will do next, but you can be sure that Watford will win this game.
- Watford Win
- Goals Under 2.5
- No Score: Away
