Reading Vs Stoke City Match Preview

MATCH PREVIEW

TEAM NEWS

Nicky Forster and Shaun Goater could be joined by Dave Kitson in the injured strikers list - although Kitson will take a late fitness test to determine if he is able to face Stoke. Should Kitson not make it then Dean Morgan will partner Lloyd Owusu up front. Andy Hughes also faces such a test and if both miss out on the Potters' visit that could open the door to allow one of Reading's youths to sit on the bench.

Bas Savage - sent home by Tony Adams earlier this season from his loan spell at Wycombe - will also make the bench if either of the Royals' doubtful duo do not report fit for duty.

Gerry Taggart returns from suspension but Stoke have defender Clint Hill out with two other defenders unlikely to face the Royals - John Halls and Marcus Hall. John Eustace and Paul Williams definitely will not feature.

Stoke City Key Player - Ade Akinbiyi

FORM GUIDE

The Royals have already faced Stoke this season, claiming a win from the Britannia Stadium not so very long ago. If the Potters' can make amends at Reading on Saturday this will bring an end to the Royals' record of being as yet undefeated at home in the Championship. After a good run without defeat in the League in general, the team lost to Coventry and sneaked a draw at Plymouth - a return home could well be in order - the Royals' last home match was the 4-0 win over Crewe.

Reading's defence had looked solid despite the absence of captain Adie Williams who had been injured - his departure to Coventry appears to have knocked the team a little. New team captain Graeme Murty will hope that the Royals can get back to winning ways this weekend in front of the home fans.

Stoke, however, will make life difficult - a team that has threatened to do well for a couple of seasons they made a good start to the season. However, recently things have not been so good, they have taken maximum points from one game in nine. A good result against the Potters could move us back up the table, a bad one and we could slip further behind the so far unstoppable Latics.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Stoke City 0:1 Reading - 16/10/04
Reading 0:0 Stoke City - 13/03/04
Stoke City 3:0 Reading - 13/12/03
Stoke City 1:0 Reading - 04/05/03
Reading 1:1 Stoke City - 28/09/02
Reading 1:0 Stoke City - 23/02/02

OTHER INFORMATION

A crowd in the region of 15,000 is expected for the game.

Stoke fans MUST buy tickets through Stoke City in advance due to the Membership scheme in place at the club for supporters. Tickets will be on sale at the Britannia Stadium until 11:00am Saturday morning.

Please Click Here for the ticket information regarding this game

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