Eng. Championship
2011-04-22 - Leeds United vs Reading
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football : English Championship
Friday 22 April 2011 - Kickoff 7:45pm
This game is live on TV
Leeds United
Leeds United remain one of the biggest clubs in England regardless of their time outside of the top flight and their passionate support would have been feeling like a return to the Premier League was within their grasp this season after promotion from League One last year. However, Simon Grayson's men are struggling a little at the moment to even hold on to a Play Off berth.
The team is still in 6th spot in the Championship, the final Play Off position, but automatic promotion has all but gone after a poor run of form. Now the pressure on Grayson's men comes from behind as a group of 5 clubs rear up and look to push their way into the lottery of the Play Offs and a chance to reach the promised land. Elland Road remains a tough venue to visit and Leeds are 10-7-4 there this season, scoring 46 goals and conceding 34. That makes Leeds the top home scorers in the League, but only Scunthorpe have conceded more.
1 win in 6 League games is not the sort of form you want in April, but it is made worse when 3 of those games end in defeat. Unfortunately for Leeds, they have hit this sticky patch at the wrong time, although they remain unbeaten in 14 League games at home courtesy of a last minute equaliser against Watford in their last game. Leeds have won 7 and drawn 7 in that unbeaten run, but have shown plenty of heart by coming back in games.
Luciano Becchio will need a late fitness test to determine his availability for this game. There is also an indication that Richard Naylor could be brought back into the side to shore up a leaky defence.
Reading
At the start of the season, Reading were considered one of the dark horses in the Championship after Brian McDermott was given the manager's role in a full capacity and they had finished the season in such stirring manner last season. For a long period, it did not seem they were going to make good on their threat as a candidate for automatic promotion, but all that has changed in recent weeks.
Reading moved up to 4th in the Championship last weekend and now find themselves just 3 points behind Cardiff in the 2nd automatic promotion spot. In fact, a win here would see Reading move ahead of Cardiff before the Welsh club faces QPR on Saturday. The Royals are 8-8-5 away from home this season, scoring 34 goals and conceding 26. This makes them the highest away scorers in the Division and they are boosted by having the joint 4th best defensive record.
The team have been like a juggernaught during the last 2 months and come into this game having won their previous 7 League games. They are unbeaten in 12 League games since losing thanks to a last minute goal at Norwich, and have incredibly scored at least 2 goals in 9 of their last 10 games. Reading are unbeaten in 6 away League games, winning the last 4.
Noel Hunt will require a late fitness test thanks to a foot injury. Alex Pearce is in the squad after coming through a reserve game without complications.
Head to Head
4 of the last 5 meetings between these teams have ended in draws, including a 0-0 draw at the Majedski Stadium earlier this season.
They last met at Elland Road in the 2005/06 season and the game ended 1-1.
Prediction
I think this will be quite an entertaining game to watch while tucking into your chocolate Easter Eggs on Friday evening and the bookies tend to agree by pricing up the Over 2.5 goals and Both to Score markets at extremely short prices.
Both sides will be tense with the season drawing to a climax, but I actually feel it will the home side who are under more pressure. Leeds have not been picking up enough results recently and are in real danger of slipping out of the Play Offs at this late stage of the campaign. Poor defending has not helped and they concede far too many goals at Elland Road.
Reading, on the other hand, are facing a different pressure of chasing Cardiff but they have a key ingredient for the end of season and that is MOMENTUM... With 7 straight League wins behind them, and being unbeaten in 12, Reading are making the kind of charge that has seen many teams promoted from this Division after 'coming from nowhere'.
I do think the away side have a good chance of picking up another vital 3 points and occupying the 2nd automatic promotion spot for at least half a day before Cardiff kick off against QPR.
However, I have plenty of respect for this high scoring Leeds side that don't quit on their manager Simon Grayson. With an unbeaten run at home stretching 14 games in the League, they are hard to write off and so I will pick Reading on the Asian Handicap where a draw will result in a return of stakes.
The Pick :
Leeds United 1-2 Reading
BEST BETTING TIP :
I'll back Reading +0 Asian Handicap @ 1.91 (3 UNITS)Follow me on Twitter- the direct link is below
