Match Preview: Reading v Sunderland - all you need to know ahead of kick-off!

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Wednesday 14th September 2022

(3rd) Reading v Sunderland (8th)

Championship

Select Car Leasing Stadium

Kick-Off: 20:00

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Tickets & Match Coverage

Tickets: Tickets are sold out.

TV/Stream: Full live match coverage available via Sky Sports.

Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online)

Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the game on the Roker Report Twitter feed (@RokerReport) and check out the player ratings after the full-time whistle at www.RokerReport.com!

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The build-up...

Our history with Reading doesn’t go back as far as with most other clubs. Our first meeting came in the fourth round of the FA Cup in 1973 when The Royals had Sunderland legend Charlie Hurley in the dugout opposite Bob Stokoe.

In league competition we have only won twice in Berkshire in nine attempts, the last success coming in 2004 when Mick McCarthy’s side left with a 2-0 victory over Steve Coppell’s Reading through goals from Darren Byfield and Tommy Smith.

Our form on the road has been good so far this season with two wins from four and we could maybe count ourselves unlucky in the defeats at Bramall Lane and the Riverside to come away with nothing.

We have almost won every other game so far this season and a win tonight would carry on that run and would give us a boost of confidence putting three points on the board while we are missing Ross Stewart.

Photo by Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Reading have probably been this year’s surprise package in the Championship after being tipped to struggle before the season kicked off. After two defeats in the first three it didn’t look like the early predictions would be too far off the mark, but four wins in the last five has catapulted Paul Ince’s side up the table.

Now occupying third spot in the table behind Norwich City and Sheffield United in the automatic places, The Royals are now beginning to look up the table, especially with their impressive home form so far.

If Sunderland take anything from tonight’s fixture they will be the first side to do so this term with Reading winning four from four so far, which included an impressive 3-0 win over Blackburn and a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough during August.

Paul Ince, along with his assistant Alex Rae are making Reading a difficult place to go to this season and it’s a tough test for Tony Mowbray and the Lads in front of the Sky cameras.

Photo by Isaac Parkin/PA Images via Getty Images

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The betting...

The bookies have Reading as favourites tonight at 8/5 for the win, with the Lads priced at 17/10 to pick up all three points and the draw is 11/5.

For a correct score, a 1-1 draw is the shortest odds at 9/2, followed by 13/2 for a 1-0 home win and a 1-0 away victory is 7/1.

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Head to head... at Reading

(All competitions)

• Sunderland wins: 3
• Draws: 2
• Reading wins: 6
• Sunderland goals: 13
• Reading goals: 16

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Last time we met... at Reading

Saturday 14th April 2018

Sky Bet Championship

Reading 2-2 Sunderland

[Kelly (pen) 20’, Kermorgant 79’ - McNair 47’, Cattermole 66’]

Sunderland: Camp, Love, Kone, Wilson, Oviedo (Clarke-Salter), McManaman (Asoro), Cattermole, McNair, McGeady, Honeyman (Maja), Fletcher Substitutes not used: Stryjek, Robson, Ejaria, Lua Lua

Reading: Mannone, Gunter, Richards (Blackett), Swift, Ilori, Moore, Aluko, Edwards, Bovardsson, Kelly (Kermorgant) Substitutes not used: Jaakkola, Van den Berg, Clement, Rinomhota, Martin

Attendance: 17,348

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Played for both...

Chris Makin

Makin broke through at Oldham Athletic in the Premier League during the early 1990’s, before moving to Marseille in 1996. After only one year in France Peter Reid made his move following our relegation from the Premier League.

After four years and 143 appearances for the Lads, the full-back would have spells at Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Derby County (on-loan), Reading and Southampton before retiring in 2008.

Photo by Tom Honan/EMPICS via Getty Images

Ian Porterfield

Ian McColl bagged a bargain when he captured Porterfield from Raith Rovers for £45,000 in 1967. Ten years, 269 appearances, 19 goals, one FA Cup winners medal and one winning FA Cup final goal later, and Porterfield will forever remain a legend.

In his final year at Sunderland he had a spell on loan at Reading before leaving to sign for Wednesday in 1977 and spent two years at Hillsborough before moving into management, where amongst his jobs was two years as manager of Reading between 1989-1991.

Photo by Peter Robinson/EMPICS via Getty Images

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