Blades looking sharp for trip to Reading

Sky Bet Championship
Sky Sports Football & Main Event, 5.30pm Saturday

Few Reading supporters will have shed tears following Paul Clement's sacking on Thursday but there may not be any immediate improvement to come when Sheffield United visit the Madejski.

Scott Marshall and Nigel Gibbs have taken over on a temporary basis with Steve Bruce and Guimaraes manager Luis Castro among the frontrunners with bookmakers to replace Clement permanently.

The Royals are stuck down in 21st in the Sky Bet Championship, but their results since the start of November have not been too bad with a 3-2 victory over Bristol City followed by three draws in four games and a 1-0 loss at Leeds where Marc McNulty missed a penalty.

But performances tell a different story and Reading have often been dominated on the shot count. Only Bolton and Ipswich have had fewer shots (for total attempts and attempts on target) and Sheffield Wednesday are the only side to have allowed more efforts on their goal.

Somehow, however, Reading have managed to stay competitive with eight of their ten defeats coming by one goal. A dart on United winning 2-1 is perhaps best in a difficult match to spot value with the Blades odds-on for maximum points.

Table-toppers Norwich won 2-1 at Reading and so did Derby, while United's matches on the road tend to be higher-scoring with an average of three goals per match.

Two wins in eight - 4-2 over Wigan and 3-2 at Brentford - is nothing special from the Blades, who blew a game of similar standing a fortnight ago in a 2-2 draw at Rotherham as Chris Wilder's men conceded a last-gasp equaliser.

The Sheffield side were outplayed on the day and were fortunate in some ways to escape with a point, while they need to bounce back from last week's 1-0 loss to Leeds when the usually excellent keeper Dean Henderson made an absolute howler.

Henderson does not lack for confidence, so he should be fine and Wilder's determination to get on the front foot with his centre-backs encouraged to go forward is likely to overwhelm Reading eventually.

Sky Bet Championship standings

Recommendation
Sheffield United to win 2-1
1pt 15-2 Sky Bet

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Reading
Strikers Jon Dadi Bodvarsson is closing in on a return but needs to be assessed and skipper Liam Moore is also doubtful.

Sheffield United
Leon Clarke and Ben Woodburn are doubtful for the Blades.

Key stat
Sheffield United have won on their last four league visits to the Madejski.

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