Reading vs Charlton Predictions

Reading’s recent form makes it tough to judge what they’re aiming for. Is it a high finish or have they rallied early in a bid to stave off relegation? This weekend is a brilliant chance for them, regardless of what they are aiming for. The Royals take on a Charlton side who are newly promoted after winning the playoffs, while the Addicks head into this game with some major defensive concerns which Jose Gomes and his men can take advantage of.

The hosts have avoided defeat in their last four games, which has pushed them up the table and away from the drop zone. The Royals are hoping to have a much more comfortable campaign this time around, while the signing of George Puscas has added another dimension to their side in attack. However, can they continue their strong recent form against a side who have excelled in the second tier and exceeded all expectations?

Charlton have found themselves in third place in the league, with some strong results against some solid Championship clubs. They are unbeaten in the league so far, but there’s some doubt over how long Lee Bowyer’s men can keep that going. They’ve conceded 15 shots against them per game, but they’re currently overperforming from what is expected of them at the back according to their Expected Goals Against so far this term.

Reading have been pretty consistent at home, hitting 14 shots per game and converting 14% of those. The Royals have certainly stepped up their game in attack from last season, as they’re already outperforming their xG score for the season. Given that comes after their investment in the forward line, we expect the Royals to continue delivering in attack as they look to follow up a string of strong results.

The hosts won 2-0 at Huddersfield and 3-0 over Cardiff in their last three games. They came either side of a 1-1 draw at West Brom, which saw Reading concede late to miss out on three points. We expect them to score a couple of goals here when they meet a Charlton side who shipped two goals at Barnsley in their last game on the road. The Royals have scored seven times in their last three meetings with Charlton and we’re backing them to score at least twice on Saturday. We’re also going with a 2-1 success for the hosts with the Addicks scoring in every game so far.