Derby County vs Reading Prediction & Betting Tips - League One

Prediction published on 10/03/2024, 15:45  by Ian John | Modified on 12/03/2024 at 07:45 in Football Predictions

Second-placed Derby County host 18th position Reading at Pride Park on Tuesday Night (kick off 7.45pm) with the home team Rams five points behind league leaders Portsmouth, and just a point ahead of the chasing Bolton. Furthermore with Peterborough United and Barnsley just four and five points back, but both with a game in hand, this is very much a game that the home side will feel they need to win. Somewhat unusually, Derby have picked up more points away from home (38 from 19 games) than they have at home (34 from 18) this season. The Rams have won four, drawn one and lost one of their last six at Pride Park and since mid August, they have lost just twice, winning 10 and drawing four on home soil. It is the sixth best home record in League One, but the Rams do have the best away record in the division. They showed that at the weekend, with a comfortable 3-0 away win over Bristol Rovers thanks to goals from Dwight Gayle (55), Tom Barkhuizen (58) and Martyn Waghorn (89).

Their opponents Reading come into the game on the back of a second home defeat in successive matches at the Madejski Stadium, a 2-1 home loss to Wycombe Wanderers. That was their sixth home loss of the season, but on the road their performances are far poorer with 10 defeats, 5 draws and just 3 wins in their 18 games. Manager Ruben Selles will be aware that the Royals away form needs to improve, but also given that the team had a six-point deduction imposed at the start of the season, the fact that they are now out of the relegation zone is a positive. The Royals have drawn five of their last nine away games in League One, winning two and losing two.