News and Views
Royals Go To Norwich After Three Straight Wins
07 April 2017
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading travel to Norwich City this weekend after a run of three straight league wins that has made a play-off finish more likely than not. The Royals are now nine points clear of seventh placed Fulham with just six games of the season remaining. Any points at Norwich this weekend will go a long way towards making the play-offs a certainty, especially with home games against Wigan and Rotherham still to come for Reading. After a dip in form, the Royals seem to be coming good at just the right time as the season enters it's final stages. Norwich have been inconsistent all season and mid-table is now looking more likely for them.
The last time the two sides met was on Boxing Day at the Madejski Stadium when Reading were helped by Norwich midfielder Jonny Howson getting sent off shortly after the visitors had equalised to make it 1-1. McCleary stuck home the spot-kick rebound to make it 2-1 before Harriott wrapped up the three points with a late third goal for the Royals.
Harriott will be missing this time as he remains out through injury. Rakels is still yet to make an appearance after returning from injury and may be hoping to get some match action before the season wrap up. Paul McShane and Joey van den Berg may both be back available for selection but Stam may keep Tiago Ilori involved again after he returned from injury during Tuesday night's 3-1 victory over Blackburn. Jordan Obita could also miss out due to minor injury.
Norwich have let in five goals in their last two games, without scoring, and will have a big boost with defenders Mitchell Dijks and Ivo Pinto back in action. Both players have been out due to suspensions which ended after their 0-3 away defeat against Huddersfield Town on Wednesday night. Norwich have suffered with their away form but this promises to be a difficult game for the Royals.
At home Norwich are unbeaten in nine games, which has included some big wins and a 2-2 draw with table toppers Newcastle United. Norwich still have a slim chance of getting in the play-offs but that is looking increasingly unlikely. Should Norwich fail to beat Reading their season will effectively be over and caretaker manager Alan Irvine will probably be pleased to hand the reins over.
Recent Meetings With Norwich City
| DATE | COMPETITION | OPPOSITION | SCORE | REPORT |
| 26 December 2016 | Championship | Norwich (HOME) | W: 3-1 | Read report... |
| 28 December 2014 | Championship | Norwich (HOME) | W: 2-1 | Read report... |
| 29 November 2014 | Championship | Norwich (Away) | W: 2-1 | Read report... |
| 20 April 2013 | Premier League | Norwich (Away) | L: 1-2 | Read report... |
| 10 November 2012 | Premier League | Norwich (HOME) | D: 0-0 | Read report... |
| 12 February 2011 | Championship | Norwich (Away) | L: 1-2 | Read report... |
| 13 November 2010 | Championship | Norwich (HOME) | D: 3-3 | Read report... |
| 27 April 2009 | Championship | Norwich (Away) | W: 2-0 | Read report... |
| 13 December 2008 | Championship | Norwich (HOME) | W: 2-0 | Read report... |
Discussion On This Story:
Sutekh
Carrow Road is the next venue for the Reading play off bandwagon as its inexorable roll continues. Wish I could say it heartlessly flattens everything in its way but it just, well, doesn’t. Nevertheless when the wheels do fall off the whole procession just carries on by tubthumping
Norwich are a very erratic team more than capable of beating anyone in this division on their day but have sadly, for them, lurched from highs to lows fairly regularly throughout the season and only rarely shown why they were considered one of the bookies favourites for the title in pre and early season.
Though their season is now more or less dead and gone we are at that point of the season where players start playing to impress for summer new deals or moves away - blah blah, cliché, cliché so Reading still have to - insert more clichés of your choice here
Norwich will be missing one time Reading target Graham Dorrans and Wes Hoolahan is a doubt with a thigh strain. Unfortunately both Norwich full backs - Ivo Pinto and Mitchell Dijks – will be available again after serving suspensions.
Meanwhile the caress of injury continues to blight the Reading experience. Though at the moment it appears a little more quantified. Basically Stephen Quinn is effectively going to be out for the rest of the season while Berg, McShane and Evans are going to be absent to around, or just after, Easter weekend. Ilori seems to be back in in the mix but Harriott is probably 3/4 weeks off playing – good option to have returning for the play offs though. Formation wise I’m expecting Jaap to revert the back four by returning Obita to left back and Blackett to centre back for this game but, of course, he’ll probably do something else and if he does I wouldn’t be too unhappy to see Reece continue at the back.
Referee
James Linington from the Isle of Wight is expected to be the man in charge
Previously
24 Sep 16 > Reading 1-0 Huddersfield Town
21 Nov 15 > Reading 2-1 Bolton Wanderers
02 May 15 > Derby County 0-3 Reading
28 Dec 14 > Reading 2-1 Norwich City
21 Nov 14 > Cardiff City 2-1 Reading
12 Aug 14 > Reading 3-1 Newport County (League Cup)
10 Sep 11 > Reading 0-2 Watford
30 Apr 11 > Coventry City 0-0 Reading
22 Jan 11 > Reading 1-1 Hull City
02 May 10 > Reading 4-0 Preston North End
30 Jan 10 > Reading 1-0 Barnsley
Historically
There have been 67 league games between Norwich and Reading which makes this game the 34th league visit to the Canaries. Of the previous 33, 10 have resulted in wins for Reading while 15 games have gone the way of Delia’s boys. There have only been 2 goalless games in those 33 so odds are there will be some picking the ball out of the back of the net to be done at least one keeper - and more likely both as these teams do appear to struggle to keep clean sheets against each other.
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