Like most matches in the English second division, the match between Birmingham and Reading can go either way and it is really difficult to predict the winner. What we could expect in this match are goals. In the last 6 matches of these teams, it was always over 2.5 goals per match and in each of those matches both teams scored at least one goal. Birmingham have been putting in a flurry of performances this season and are currently 14th in the table, while Reading on the other hand occupy eighth position with 32 points, two behind Watford and Preston who are in the positions leading to the Premier League play-offs. Birmingham narrowly avoided relegation last year, so from that point of view they are having a solid season. In the past five rounds, they have one win, three draws and a loss. Last week they drew with Blackpool when it was 0:0. Colin gave the visitors the lead in that match, but the goal was disallowed after the intervention of VAR due to an illegal position. John Eustace's men have collected 29 points in the competition so far, which is five points less than the teams in the play-off positions, so with a win in this match, they would take a good step towards the upper part of the table and potentially towards the sixth place that leads to play-offs for the Premier League.
On the other hand, Reading is playing quite well this season. Last week, they beat Coventry at home with a 1:0 goal from Mbengue. If we include the triumph against Hull before the break, the guests have won two in a row and will want to record a third in a difficult away game. It is interesting that Reading played only two draws in the competition so far, and with them they have ten wins and the same number of losses. The team is led from the bench by the former English representative Paul Ince, who managed to ensure survival at the end of last season and because of that he got a job for this season as well, which turns out to be an excellent move by the club's management. Since the beginning of the season, the bookies, in my opinion, have underestimated Reading, even when they play against teams that are obviously weaker than them, and in today's match we will try to take advantage of that. The Championship is full of teams of similar quality and belongs to one of the most difficult leagues to predict the winner of the match. I think that according to everything they have shown so far in the championship, Reading has a good chance to win this match in their favor or at least to win a point in the match.
