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The encounter pits seventh against eighth in the English Championship as Reading take on Cardiff City at the Madejski Stadium on Friday.
Both sides have seen their form take a disappointing dip in recent weeks and will aim to quickly bounce back to winning ways and get their season back on track.
Coming off the back of a 14th-placed finish last term, Reading have enjoyed a decent season so far. However, with one win in their last six games, they have experienced a steady decline in recent weeks.
Veljko Paunovic’s men suffered their 13th defeat of the season when they fell to a 2-0 loss against Watford last time out.
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They have picked up six points from their last 18 and this poor run has seen them drop to seventh place in the log. They are now five points away from sixth-placed Barnsley in the final playoff qualification places.
Meanwhile, Cardiff City are struggling to match the level of success achieved last campaign.
They are currently eighth in the league table, three places and 14 points adrift of their fifth-placed finish last season.
Like the hosts, Cardiff City have struggled to find their feet in recent weeks. They were held to a 2-2 draw on home turf against Blackburn Rovers last time out.
Mick McCarthy’s men have now managed just one win in their last seven games and have suffered three defeats in their last six. This includes a 5-0 mauling at the hands of second-bottom Sheffield Wednesday.
This poor run has been down to their struggles on home turf. They rank 16th in the home standings after picking up just 26 points from a possible 63.
Reading vs Cardiff City Head-To-Head
A look at previous meetings between both sides shows this is a closely-fought contest. Reading have a slight upper hand with 27 wins in their 73 previous meetings. Cardiff have picked up 23 wins, while it has ended all square on 23 occasions.
Reading Form Guide: L-W-D-D-L
Cardiff City Form Guide: D-L-L-W-D
Reading vs Cardiff City Team News
Reading
Reading will be without a few key players as they recover from their respective injuries. Michael Morrison is out with a hamstring injury, while Tom McIntyre and Felipe Araruna are sidelined with knee injuries.
Injured: Michael Morrison, Tom McIntyre, Felipe Araruna
Suspended: None
Cardiff City
Similarly, Cardiff City have their own lengthy injury list heading into Friday’s clash. Sean Morrison (calf), Joel Bagan (shoulder), Souleymane Bamba (cancer) and Joseph Bennett (ACL) are unable to feature for the Bluebirds due to injuries.
Injured: Sean Morrison Calf, Joel Bagan, Joseph Bennett, Souleymane Bamba
Suspended: None
Reading vs Cardiff City Predicted XI
Reading Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Rafael Cabral, Andy Yiadom, Thomas Holmes, Liam Moore, Lewis Gibson, Andy Rinomhota, Josh Laurent, Yakou Meite, Michael Olise, Ovie Ejaria, Lucas Joao
Cardiff City (3-4-3): Dillon Phillips; Curtis Nelson, Aden Flint, Ciaron Brown; Perry Ng, Marlon Pack, Will Vaulks, Joe Ralls; Jonathan Wilson, Kieffer Moore, Sheyi Ojo.
Reading vs Cardiff City Prediction
Having struggled in recent weeks, both sides will be aiming to grab the win and end their poor run. Despite Reading being the slightly better side, we predict a share of the spoils.
Prediction: Reading 1-1 Cardiff City
