Barnsley vs Reading Predictions

• Fewer than three goals have been scored in 10 of the last 11 Barnsley home league games.
• Fewer than three goals have been scored in three of the last four Reading games

Tykes could find it tough to break down refreshed Royals

Barnsley are short order to turn over relegation rivals Reading at Oakwell and give their survival bid a serious shot in the arm. Seemingly fighting a hopeless battle to stay up only a matter of a few weeks ago, the Tykes can close the five-point gap to the team one place above the safety line to just two this weekend.

That team is Reading, who will arrive in south Yorkshire on the back of two good results just prior to the international break. Paul Ince’s men put in a good defensive display to grab a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth, then followed it up with a 1-0 home win over promotion-chasing Blackburn a few days later.

The Royals may have shipped four goals in two of the six matches under Ince’s stewardship, but the underlying stats do reveal a tightening of their backline. The average xG of the last six opponents Reading have faced is 1.12 while in the last six games of Veljko Paunovic’s reign the average was 1.55.

Few goals likely in tense affair

Reading have scored fewer goals and created fewer quality chances too during Ince’s spell in charge and we would expect the visitors gameplan to be one of staying solid and frustrating their hosts this weekend.

Barnsley remain too inconsistent at home to be backed at 5/4 here and we don’t fancy Reading’s chances of earning only a second away league win in ten either. The oddsmakers are expecting few goals at Oakwell and that looks the best play for this relegation six-pointer – even at the price of around 8/11 for under 2.5.

In the Championship, fewer than three goals have been scored in ten of the last 11 Barnsley home games and, albeit only seven of the last 15 Reading road trips, three of the Royals’ five against fellow bottom eight clubs. Scott Dann is available again after injury to bolster Reading’s defence and Ince is said to be considering a switch to three at the back. Barnsley have scored in their last five home games – all against teams higher in the table than Reading – so we will take them to get one here in a draw that will probably finish 1-1.