Reading vs Sunderland Predictions

• Reading have won all four of their home Championship matches this season.
• Sunderland have lost two of their last three away league games.
• The Black Cats have lost two of their three games since Alex Neil left for Stoke.

Mowbray’s men look weak in defence

Sunderland are still adjusting to life under Tony Mowbray and may come unstuck when they face a rested Reading side at Select Car Leasing Stadium. Both teams will be rested of course after last weekend’s postponements, but the extra days off were probably more welcome for Paul Ince’s squad, which is smaller and has a higher age profile.

The Royals will be without long-term casualties Ovie Ejaria, Naby Sarr and Scott Dann, but three players could be available to Ince again here. Shane Long, Mamdou Loum and Yakou Meite are all expected to be fit or very close to making Wednesday’s fixture against the newly-promoted Black Cats.

Sunderland have played two games under Mowbray now, a 3-0 win against a depleted Rotherham followed by a 1-0 loss at Middlesbrough, and little has changed about their system or style. Mowbray will have noted how physically weak some of his defenders looked at Boro, who should have won more comfortably, and will surely be looking to bulk up that area in the next transfer window.

Portuguese ace can overpower Black Cats

Lucas Joao, who has scored 32 goals in his last 68 league appearances, has the strength to overpower the Sunderland defence and could be a useful anytime goalscorer play for this contest – which Reading should win.

The Royals are still perfect at home this term with four wins out of four and all came against clubs that were shorter in the pre-season odds for promotion. Yet they stand in third place with just less than a fifth of the games played.

With safety in mind, as Sunderland could pack out their defence in Berkshire, we will take the lesser odds of a draw no bet option for this midweek clash, which might be short on goal action if the visitors take a cautious approach. A 1-0 Reading victory is the preferred correct score play as they have kept clean sheets in three of their last five games while the Black Cats have failed to register in two of their last four in all competitions.