National cups are something special for many teams and supporters. Today's match will decide whether it's Sunderland U21 or Reading U21 that keep their silverware dream alive.
It’s busy days for these teams as both were in action only a few days ago. There’s no rest for the wicked, or in this case; no rest for Sunderland and Reading U21.
Sunderland U21 form and stats
Sunderland U21 have played three Premier League 2 Divison Two home games so far, perhaps enough to set expectations for the season. In that case, only 1 point from these matches could be a signal of rough times ahead.
Times are rough for the home team, having gone 308 minutes without scoring a league goal. Kelly was the last player to find the net.
The Sunderland U21 supporters got no joy from their last game, a Premier League Cup duel also played here at Eppleton Colliery Football Ground: A 1-3 defeat against Reading U21.
Before that game, the home loss against Leeds United U21 with the scoreline 0-1.Neutralizing the opposition is a challenge, Sunderland having conceded 8 goals here at Eppleton Colliery Football Ground so far.
Reading U21 form and stats
1-0-3 is the win-draw-loss statistic for Reading U21 in their Professional Development League matches away.
Two away matches in a row for Reading U21, whose coach Hunt could celebrate last time after the Premier League Cup win against Sunderland U21.
Before that, Reading U21 secured a home win against Watford U21 with the score 1-0.Many goals are not expected from the visiting Reading as they have only managed to score 3 times from 4 away games in the league.
Head 2 Head
This is what happened when the sides met earlier this season; Sunderland U21 - Reading U21 1-3. Sunderland U21-Reading U21 H2H statistics last three meetings regardless of arena: Sunderland U21 one win, Reading U21 two wins, zero draws. three of these three matches had three or more goals (over 2,5). One of the profiles has been Ehibhatiomhan with 3 goals scored against Sunderland in these 3 meetings.
Top Goalscorers
  M. Thompson 5 goals | C. Kelly 2 goals | O. Robinson 1 goals |
Sunderland U21 missing players
Reading U21 missing players
| Sunderland U21 | Reading U21 | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 10 | Played | P | 14 | 25 | ||
| 9 | 3 | Won | W | 3 | 9 | ||
| 5 | 3 | Drew | D | 3 | 4 | ||
| 11 | 4 | Lost | L | 8 | 12 | ||
| 38 | 14 | Scored | S | 21 | 35 | ||
| 37 | 19 | Conceded | C | 30 | 43 | ||
| 96% | 90% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | ||
| 72% | 70% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 86% | 76% | ||
| 52% | 70% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 57% | 52% | ||
| 48% | 60% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 36% | 32% | ||
| 20% | 30% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 14% | 12% | ||
| 52% | 60% | BTTS | BTTS | 57% | 52% | ||
| 20% | 10% | Clean Sheets | C S | 7% | 20% | ||
| 32% | 40% | Failed to Score | F T | 36% | 28% | ||
| 3.6 | 2.8 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 6.2 | 6.3 | ||
| 5.8 | 5.8 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 7.6 | 5.2 | ||
| 2.8 | 3.5 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.2 | 1.2 | ||
| 4 | 3 | Red cards | R C | 1 | 1 | ||
| 8.1 | 7.8 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 10.8 | 12.2 | ||
| 3.1 | 2.5 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 3 | 4.5 | ||
| 36% | 40% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 53% | 36% | ||
| 14.8 | 15.5 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 13.4 | 10 | ||
| 5.5 | 6.2 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 6 | 4.5 | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Reading U21 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 2 | Wolves U21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Cardiff City U21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 4 | Sunderland U21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 0 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Leeds United U21 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 17 | 19 |
| 2 | Norwich City U21 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 15 |
| 3 | Middlesbrough U21 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 14 |
| 4 | West Brom U21 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 13 |
| 5 | Southampton U21 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| 6 | Newcastle United U21 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| 7 | Nottingham Forest U21 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | -8 | 6 |
| 8 | Aston Villa U21 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 | -4 | 5 |
| 9 | Stoke City U21 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | -9 | 5 |
| 10 | Sunderland U21 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 6 | -5 | 4 |
| 11 | Derby County U21 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 11 | -16 | 0 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Bristol City U21 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 14 | 26 |
| 2 | Millwall U21 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 19 | 25 |
| 3 | Charlton Athletic U21 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 24 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 17 |
| 4 | Ipswich Town U21 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 16 |
| 5 | Reading U21 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 15 |
| 6 | Cardiff City U21 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 15 |
| 7 | Queens Park Rangers U21 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 12 |
| 8 | Colchester United U21 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 14 | -7 | 10 |
| 9 | Swansea City U21 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 2 | 8 |
| 10 | Watford U21 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 14 | -19 | 0 |
