Evenly matched teams: Reading vs Birmingham City match preview

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Competition: England Championship
Competition: Tue 22.February
Match begins: 20:00 (UTC)
Venue: Select Car Leasing Stadium (24200 seats)

Both these teams have had a low return so far, but a win and three points in this very important fixture would definitely help. Prepare for Reading - Birmingham City!

Insights:
  • Reading have the most conceded goals (62) in Championship
  • Birmingham City have the fewest points from losing position (4) in Championship

It's no vacation for neither Reading nor Birmingham City as both were in action only a few days ago. Expect some tired legs on the pitch and/or possibly some changes to the lineups.

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Reading form and stats

The home fans haven’t been spoiled with victories in the Championship this season. Reading have only managed 4 wins, 4 draws and 8 losses from their games here at Select Car Leasing Stadium. When Reading hosts teams that live in the bottom of the table (like Cardiff City, Hull City, Barnsley, Reading, Derby County, Swansea City and Peterborough United), they have won 2 of 4 matches! Reading are slowly digging their own grave here at Select Car Leasing Stadium with the depressing streak of not having won a home league game in ten attempts. The last victory here came in the Barnsley match.

It's back home for Reading, who return with a good feeling about themselves after beating Preston North End away with the result 3-2. Swift and João (2) found the net in that victory. João, who usually features in attack, was the champion performer for the side in that game, collecting a rating of 8.84 (out of 10). João scored two goals, served one assist, hit one key pass and dribled past the opponent 1 of 1 times.

A 0-0 draw away before that, with Peterborough United the opponent.

The bookmakers consider this a fairly even contest. One could say only the home advantage separates the teams. It could be relevant to look at how Reading have performed in matches similar to this (as small favourites). Our database has found 14 matches with the results: Won seven, drawn three and lost four.

There's a new game coming up fairly quickly for Reading as they are travelling to their away game against Blackpool in the Championship. That match is four days after this one.

The Reading fans would probably like to see some more goals scored at their own stadium in the league, the tally being 23 in 16 matches. Reading are struggling defensively, conceding on average more than two goals per home game (34 from 16 played).

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Birmingham City form and stats

Birmingham City have only collected 15 points from their away games in the Championship, after 3-6-8 (17 played).

Birmingham City has to pack their bags again for the second away game in a row. Last time they traveled to Stoke City for a 2-2 draw. Midfield player Gardner was the top player of the team with a match rating of 7.83/10. Gardner scored one goal and hit two key passes.

A home win before that, celebrating 3-0 vs Luton Town.

As mentioned above, this is an open game with no clear favourite. We have found twelve similar matches played by Birmingham in our archives, and the results are: three wins for Birmingham City, eight draws and one defeat.

Birmingham City are scoring more than one goal per away game on average, having accumulated 18 away goals from 17 games (in the league). Birmingham City have conceded 30 goals in these games.

Head 2 Head

Birmingham City - Reading 1-2 was the story when these two squads last met, also in this season. Last ten meetings involving these participants: Reading won four, Birmingham City were winners in five and we saw one draw. six games with over 2,5 goals, four matches with under 2,5 goals.

Top Goalscorers

ReadingJ. Swift
J. Swift
10 goals
Birmingham CityS. Hogan
S. Hogan
10 goals
Birmingham CityG. Gardner
G. Gardner
5 goals

Reading missing players

Birmingham City missing players

Total First Half Second Half
Reading Birmingham City
Total Home vs low Statistics Stat vs low Away Total
32 16 4 Played P 4 17 33
9 4 2 Won W 0 3 9
5 4 2 Drew D 2 6 10
18 8 0 Lost L 2 8 14
39 23 7 Scored S 3 18 39
62 34 4 Conceded C 8 30 51
97% 100% 100% Over 0.5 O 0.5 100% 88% 88%
75% 81% 75% Over 1.5 O 1.5 100% 76% 79%
59% 56% 50% Over 2.5 O 2.5 50% 47% 58%
41% 50% 50% Over 3.5 O 3.5 25% 41% 30%
28% 38% 0% Over 4.5 O 4.5 0% 12% 9%
56% 62% 75% BTTS BTTS 50% 41% 45%
12% 12% 25% Clean Sheets C S 0% 29% 33%
34% 25% 0% Failed to Score F T 50% 41% 33%
 
3.6 3.6 3.5 Corners for (avg) C F 3.8 3.6 3.9
5.7 6 6.8 Corners against (avg) C A 5.8 6.3 5.4
1.6 1.6 0.8 Yellow cards (avg) Y C 2.8 2.1 1.8
1 1 0 Red cards R C 2 3 3
 
10.5 10.6 12.2 Shots (avg) S ( 12.5 11.4 11.5
3.5 3.7 5 Shots on Target (avg) S O 3.8 3.5 3.5
35% 39% 35% Goal Efficiency G E 20% 31% 34%
 
15.6 13.4 13.5 Shots against (avg) S A 12.5 12.9 11.2
5.7 5.2 4.5 Shots on Target against (avg) S O 4 4.4 4
Key stats in Championship this season:
  • Birmingham City have the fewest points from losing position (4) in Championship
  • Reading have the most conceded goals (34) at home in Championship
  • Reading have the most conceded goals (62) in Championship
  • Reading have the the worst goal difference (-11) at home in Championship
  • Reading haven’t played a single 0-0 game at home.

  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Fulham 31 19 7 5 79 28 17 10 4 3 41 15 14 9 3 2 38 13 51 64
2 AFC Bournemouth 30 17 7 6 49 26 14 8 3 3 29 15 16 9 4 3 20 11 23 58
3 Blackburn Rovers 32 15 9 8 45 33 16 10 3 3 31 19 16 5 6 5 14 14 12 54
4 Queens Park Rangers 32 15 8 9 47 37 17 8 6 3 24 14 15 7 2 6 23 23 10 53
5 Huddersfield Town 33 14 11 8 42 35 16 8 5 3 22 16 17 6 6 5 20 19 7 53
6 Sheffield United 31 14 8 9 43 33 14 7 3 4 23 11 17 7 5 5 20 22 10 50
7 Middlesbrough 31 14 7 10 39 31 16 10 2 4 25 14 15 4 5 6 14 17 8 49
8 Luton Town 31 13 9 9 43 36 16 8 5 3 26 17 15 5 4 6 17 19 7 48
9 Nottingham Forest 31 13 8 10 43 33 16 6 4 6 21 20 15 7 4 4 22 13 10 47
10 Coventry City 31 13 8 10 40 36 16 9 3 4 24 14 15 4 5 6 16 22 4 47
11 West Bromwich Albion 32 12 10 10 34 28 15 8 6 1 21 8 17 4 4 9 13 20 6 46
12 Preston North End 33 11 12 10 37 38 16 5 8 3 22 20 17 6 4 7 15 18 -1 45
13 Stoke City 31 12 8 11 40 34 16 7 4 5 24 18 15 5 4 6 16 16 6 44
14 Millwall 31 11 10 10 33 33 16 8 5 3 20 13 15 3 5 7 13 20 0 43
15 Blackpool 32 11 9 12 35 38 17 8 2 7 17 18 15 3 7 5 18 20 -3 42
16 Bristol City 33 11 7 15 44 59 17 7 5 5 22 21 16 4 2 10 22 38 -15 40
17 Swansea City 31 10 8 13 32 43 15 7 4 4 19 14 16 3 4 9 13 29 -11 38
18 Birmingham City 33 9 10 14 39 51 16 6 4 6 21 21 17 3 6 8 18 30 -12 37
19 Cardiff City 32 10 6 16 39 51 16 5 2 9 18 21 16 5 4 7 21 30 -12 36
20 Hull City 33 9 7 17 27 37 16 5 3 8 15 18 17 4 4 9 12 19 -10 34
21 Reading 32 9 5 18 39 62 16 4 4 8 23 34 16 5 1 10 16 28 -23 26
22 Derby County 32 10 12 10 33 35 16 8 6 2 22 14 16 2 6 8 11 21 -2 21
23 Peterborough United 31 5 6 20 23 61 15 4 5 6 15 18 16 1 1 14 8 43 -38 21
24 Barnsley 31 3 8 20 19 46 15 3 4 8 9 17 16 0 4 12 10 29 -27 17

Reading:
Birmingham City:
Championship:
England:
Table
  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Fulham 31 19 7 5 79 28 17 10 4 3 41 15 14 9 3 2 38 13 51 64
2 AFC Bournemouth 30 17 7 6 49 26 14 8 3 3 29 15 16 9 4 3 20 11 23 58
3 Blackburn Rovers 32 15 9 8 45 33 16 10 3 3 31 19 16 5 6 5 14 14 12 54
4 Queens Park Rangers 32 15 8 9 47 37 17 8 6 3 24 14 15 7 2 6 23 23 10 53
5 Huddersfield Town 33 14 11 8 42 35 16 8 5 3 22 16 17 6 6 5 20 19 7 53
6 Sheffield United 31 14 8 9 43 33 14 7 3 4 23 11 17 7 5 5 20 22 10 50
7 Middlesbrough 31 14 7 10 39 31 16 10 2 4 25 14 15 4 5 6 14 17 8 49
8 Luton Town 31 13 9 9 43 36 16 8 5 3 26 17 15 5 4 6 17 19 7 48
9 Nottingham Forest 31 13 8 10 43 33 16 6 4 6 21 20 15 7 4 4 22 13 10 47
10 Coventry City 31 13 8 10 40 36 16 9 3 4 24 14 15 4 5 6 16 22 4 47
11 West Bromwich Albion 32 12 10 10 34 28 15 8 6 1 21 8 17 4 4 9 13 20 6 46
12 Preston North End 33 11 12 10 37 38 16 5 8 3 22 20 17 6 4 7 15 18 -1 45
13 Stoke City 31 12 8 11 40 34 16 7 4 5 24 18 15 5 4 6 16 16 6 44
14 Millwall 31 11 10 10 33 33 16 8 5 3 20 13 15 3 5 7 13 20 0 43
15 Blackpool 32 11 9 12 35 38 17 8 2 7 17 18 15 3 7 5 18 20 -3 42
16 Bristol City 33 11 7 15 44 59 17 7 5 5 22 21 16 4 2 10 22 38 -15 40
17 Swansea City 31 10 8 13 32 43 15 7 4 4 19 14 16 3 4 9 13 29 -11 38
18 Birmingham City 33 9 10 14 39 51 16 6 4 6 21 21 17 3 6 8 18 30 -12 37
19 Cardiff City 32 10 6 16 39 51 16 5 2 9 18 21 16 5 4 7 21 30 -12 36
20 Hull City 33 9 7 17 27 37 16 5 3 8 15 18 17 4 4 9 12 19 -10 34
21 Reading 32 9 5 18 39 62 16 4 4 8 23 34 16 5 1 10 16 28 -23 26
22 Derby County 32 10 12 10 33 35 16 8 6 2 22 14 16 2 6 8 11 21 -2 21
23 Peterborough United 31 5 6 20 23 61 15 4 5 6 15 18 16 1 1 14 8 43 -38 21
24 Barnsley 31 3 8 20 19 46 15 3 4 8 9 17 16 0 4 12 10 29 -27 17

More from England - Championship

Read more about Championship

The English Football League Championship (usually shortened to the Championship) is the second highest division in the English football league system. 24 teams play 46 fixtures from August to May, meeting each other twice. The Championship is the wealthiest second-level division in the world.