Sunderland vs Reading Betting Pick | English Premier

English Premier

2012-08-25 - Sunderland vs Reading

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Sunderland v Reading
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 25 August 2012 - Kick Off 3pm

Sunderland

Sunderland earned a surprise 0-0 draw at Arsenal last week, although they did have to ride their luck to do so, and they have spent the last week trying to tie up a couple of new signings to address the lack of goals there seems to be in the side.

They have had a bid for Steven Fletcher accepted, although there is no movement on that front and it does seem unlikely that he will be signed in time for this game. Last season, Sunderland scored just 45 goals in their 38 League games, while they have only scored 3 goals in their last 8 going back to last season, failing to get on the scoreboard in 6 of those games.

That poor run has also seen them fail to win any of their last 4 home games in the Premier League and fail to score in 3 of those. Sunderland did finish with a 7-7-5 record at the Stadium of Light, scoring 26 goals and conceding 17 in those games.

Wes Brown, Phil Bardsley and David Vaughan are all expected to miss this game.

Reading

Reading were expected to be the club that would finish the highest of the three promoted teams this season and they have shown something in their first two games to think they will be successful in staying in the top flight beyond this season.

It took a late goal against Stoke City to earn Reading a point in their opening game of the season at home, but they were then cruelly undone by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge during the week as a late Fernando Torres goal, which should have been ruled out, contributed to a 4-2 loss.

However, they showed enough in that game at Chelsea to suggest they can transfer their away form from the Championship to the Premier League. Last season they won 13 away games in the Championship, the most in the Division, although their second best away defence will be tested in the top flight.

Adam Federici made another mistake in the game against Chelsea which allowed the Blues to make it 2-2 and that was just days after making one against Stoke to see his side fall 0-1 down. Stuart Taylor has been signed, but Federici is likely to hold on to the gloves. Jimmy Kebe is the only absentee in an otherwise healthy squad.

Head to Head

These two teams last met in the 2007/08 season when both sides managed to win their home games 2-1.

Sunderland have won 3 of their last 4 home games against Reading, although these have taken place over a large number of seasons.

Reading have won just 1 of their last 5 games at Sunderland.

Prediction

It is going to be a tough battle at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, but I like Reading's chances of earning at least a point from this game as I still think Sunderland are getting together their squad before the transfer window.

Goals were always going to be a problem for the home side in the absence of Niklas Bendtner and they are clearly looking to address that in the transfer market, but it is unlikely they will have any new players in the squad for this game.

Reading showed at Chelsea that they are capable of causing problems from set-pieces and decent delivery into the box and it seems to me that one goal may ensure they don't lose this game.

I am not quite sure Reading can come here and win the game, but they will certainly make it tough for a Sunderland side that won less than half of their home games last season and who have struggled for goals at the end of last season coming through to this year.

The 2.10 quote on Reading to avoid defeat being offered by Ladbrokes looks far too big to ignore for me.