Reading vs Ipswich Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

This isn’t a game that is likely to be pretty, with neither side exactly convincing right now. Manager-less Ipswich are drifting towards an unremarkable bottom half finish in a season which promised more, while Reading still have a bit of work to do in order to guarantee they are playing Championship football again next season.

Since replacing Jaap Stam with Paul Clement, it would be a bit of a stretch to say they’ve taken major strides forward but they have picked up two vital wins that have ensured they’ve maintained a bit of a cushion above the drop-zone. They were well beaten at Hillsborough last time out but they still have matters firmly in their own hands heading into the final two rounds of fixtures.

Victory here for Reading will ensure they are playing Championship football again next season. Even if they lose, their survival could be guaranteed on Saturday if results go their way elsewhere. However Clement will want to leave nothing to chance, particularly with a difficult final day trip to Cardiff to come.

They should therefore be the more motivated team here and they will take some confidence from having won 2 of their last 3 at home. They also couldn’t really have picked a better game to have at this stage of the season. Ipswich have been shocking since Mick McCarthy left, losing against a badly out of form Forest side before ending up on the wrong end of a 4-0 scoreline at home to Aston Villa last weekend.

They are the very definition of a side that really needs the summer to come and the chance to appoint a new manager and rebuild. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if they didn’t get another point this season as Bryan Klug oversees things and certainly motivation looks like it may have become a factor.

Ipswich have lost 5 of their last 8 matches overall, winning just once. They are bottom of the Championship form table for the last 8 games with just 4 points, so it’s very hard to fancy them against anyone in this division right now. Reading aren’t a great side by any means but with home advantage and a much greater need for the win, they look the team that will most likely come out on top, so backing a Home Win looks the best bet in the Full-Time Result market.