Barnsley vs Reading Prediction & Betting Tips - Championship

Prediction published on 30/03/2021, 22:49  by Nella Wagah | Modified on 30/03/2021 at 23:51 in Championship Prediction

The Championship returns after the international break with teams set to give it another push towards the season’s targets. Barnsley hosts Reading in a promotion fight, with fifth placed Barnsley looking to hold on, having managed 64 points, two more than sixth placed Reading. The hosts hope for a better outing after the international break, as their last act before the break saw them shockingly lose to relegation threatened Sheffield Wednesday. With the loss, it seems ideal for Barnsley to put their energies towards pushing for a place in the playoffs rather than seeking an automatic promotion slot. They are still in frame for an automatic slot, but being 11 points below second place and just five ahead of seventh place needs good calculation for the remaining games. Having the least Goal Difference (+7) in the top six, winning their matches is the only way out, and they haven’t been very good defensively lately. Barnsley have conceded five goals in the last three matches, though they’ve scored seven. Alex Mowatt, a source of goals from midfield will sit out this game as he’s suspended, and Barnsley will miss the creativity from the Englishman who has six goals so far. A good run at home will be one of the factors the hosts bank on here, having won 10 of 19 league matches there, though they’ll be looking to recover from two winless matches at home. In their last seven home matches, they’ve won four, lost one and failed to score in one.

Reading beat Barnsley 2-0 in September; they were in fine form then and that win was one of an eight-game unbeaten run that had seven wins. It was an easy ride then as they extended their unbeaten run against Barnsley to seven matches. This time it looks tougher, looking at the stakes, as well as the fact Reading are winless in the last three matches, having conceded four goals in there and scored thrice. The visitors have managed just four wins in their last 12 matches, and gained 14 points from a possible 30 in the last 10 matches. Sitting just three points above seventh placed Bournemouth means they risk falling off the playoff positions with a loss here so things aren’t very rosy for them. They haven’t also been scoring a lot; while they have scored in eight of their last 10 Championship matches, Reading have managed more than a goal in just two of the 10 games, while keeping four clean sheets. They have four wins in their last 15 Championship matches and away from home in the league, they’ve won just seven of the 19 played.