Readingvs.Blackpool

Meanwhile, the Royals are playing for pride after staving off relegation in what has been a tumultuous campaign.

Match preview

Reading have managed to avoid back-to-back relegations despite being hit with a six-point deduction across the 2023-24 season.

The Royals will enter the final matchday in 17th place, having won 15, drawn 11 and lost 19 of their 45 league matches this term.

While they may only have their league position to play for, Reading will be keen to finish the season with a victory after mustering one win from their last five matches (D2, L2).

The Royals are set to return to the Select Car Leasing stadium after competing in three consecutive away games, where they beat Bristol Rovers 2-0, drew 2-2 with Barnsley and lost 3-2 to Burton Albion.

Having taken seven points from their last three home matches, Ruben Selles's side are looking to extend their unbeaten home run to four games.

Blackpool kept their playoff hopes alive with a narrow 3-2 victory in last Saturday's clash against Barnsley at Bloomfield Road.

Sonny Carey, James Husband and Hayden Coulson all got on the scoresheet to guide the Tangerines to a fourth consecutive victory.

Neil Critchley's troops are now sitting in eighth spot and one point adrift of Oxford United and Lincoln City in seventh and sixth position respectively, while they are two points behind fifth-placed Barnsley.

While Blackpool will need other results to go their own way, they know that they need to complete a league double over Reading to give them the best chance of claiming a top-six finish.

The Tangerines eased to a comfortable 4-1 victory over Reading in September's reverse fixture, largely thanks to a Jordan Rhodes hat-trick.

Reading League One form:

W

L

D

W

D

L

Blackpool League One form:

L

D

W

W

W

W

Team News

Reading full-back Andy Yiadom is set to miss out with a knee problem, while central defender Tom Holmes is unlikely to feature due to an ankle injury.

Paul Mukairu could be brought back into the side after dropping down to the bench for the recent defeat to Burton.

Smith will look to add to his 13-goal league when he leads the line in Reading's final game of the 2023-24 season.

As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon the injured duo of Andy Lyons and Rhodes, while Albie Morgan will have to be assessed after he was forced to miss the win over Barnsley with a knock.

Following Blackpool's 3-2 win over Barnsley, Critchley could opt for consistency and select an unchanged lineup for Saturday's away clash,

Ollie Norburn should be involved in some capacity after he returned from a three-game injury absence to feature as a substitute against the Tykes.

Reading possible starting lineup:

Pereira; Abrefa, Mbengue, Bindon, Dorsett; Wing, Elliott; Azeez, Knibbs, Mukairu; Smith

Blackpool possible starting lineup:

Grimshaw; Pennington, Ekpiteta, Husband; Hamilton, Dembele, Byers, Carey, Coulson; Beesley, Lavery

We say: Reading 1-2 Blackpool

Blackpool will carry momentum into Saturday's fixture after winning four of their last four matches, and we think that they will give themselves the best possible chance of snatching a playoff place by claiming all three points against Reading.

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