Reading v Blackburn: Reading Head Clear of the Relegation Pack?
The Royals survival bid is in full flow after picking up 3 wins in the last 4 matches which has seen them climb 5 points clear of the bottom three. This weekend they face an erratic Blackburn side which should be a tough one to predict for Premier 10 players given Rovers inconsistency of results.
Erratic Rovers Keep You Guessing
Mark Hughes side’s unpredictable nature can be summed up by their last 3 results. A poor home draw with 2nd from bottom Fulham followed by a defeat at West Ham against a side who’d been thrashed 4-0 three times in succession followed by a home win over a revitalised Latics side despite Rovers playing 75 minutes of the match with just 10 men. However, they’ve little to play for as 8 points separate them for a 5th placed finish which would be their only automatic route into Europe. An Intertoto Cup place is still an option so don’t expect them to roll over for this Reading side. Top scorer Roque Santa Cruz has also found his scoring touch after going 5 matches without a goal before his 3 goals in the last 2 games so should be a handful for the Reading defence.
Royals on the Up
Steve Coppell made changes to his struggling side following an 8-match losing run and since then the Royals haven’t looked back. The line-up has remained constant for the last 4 games apart from Dave Kitson replacing Shane Long in attack for the home win over Birmingham. The trio of recent wins have seen the Royals climb 3 places to 15th and has given Reading the belief they can beat the drop. A win this weekend would further enhance their survival credentials. They’ve also begun to find the net regularly after scoring in the last 5 games, this ended a run of 4 matches without a goal. They still lack a consistent goal scorer but the last 5 matches have seen 6 different players get on the scoresheet so the pressure on the forwards has begun to subside.
This is a difficult one to call despite Rovers Premier League record of 2 wins and a draw over Reading. There is no doubt it’s the Royals who certainly have more to play for and thus I would back them to continue their recent winning streak. However, this is possibly the hardest of all the matches to predict so well worth covering your options on this weekend’s Premier 10.
Pundit’s Pick: Royals survival bid gathers pace (home win) Do you agree with this result for your Premier 10 prediction? Play Now>>
Tags: Blackburn Rovers, Premier 10 preview, Premier League, Reading, ROyals
