Cardiff v Reading predictions

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Football, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Draw
1pt 23-10 Boyles

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Team news

Cardiff
Ebou Adams and Jamilu Collins are long-term absentees while Rubin Colwill is a doubt.

Reading
Mamadou Loum has completed a two-match ban but Sam Hutchinson and Liam Moore are ruled out and Lucas Joao and Matt Holmes are doubts.

Match preview

Relegation-threatened Cardiff improved their Championship survival hopes with a gritty 2-0 victory at Birmingham on Tuesday, but they haven't won a home fixture since October and could be held by mid-table Reading.

The Bluebirds are hoping that their success over Birmingham is a sign of things to come under experienced manager Sabri Lamouchi who was appointed in January.

Lamouchi got off to a shaky start with three successive defeats but his team looked well-organised in their midweek match at St Andrew's and turned one point into three thanks to a stunning 84th-minute free kick from defender Perry Ng and an injury-time strike from substitute Callum Robinson.

The 51-year-old likes to work from a solid base but Cardiff's big problem this season has been scoring enough goals.

City's 24-goal tally is the lowest in the division and their victory at Birmingham was only the fifth time this season that they had scored more than once in a league fixture.

All of Cardiff's four home wins have been by a 1-0 scoreline and their lack of firepower makes them hard to fancy despite facing a Reading side with a poor away record.

Reading have taken just 11 points from a possible 48 on their travels but they have been strong at home and Tuesday's 2-1 success against Rotherham left them just six points outside the playoffs.

Royals manager Paul Ince is more concerned about preserving a decent gap to the teams towards the bottom than pushing for promotion and he would probably settle for a share of the spoils in Wales.

Key stat

Cardiff have drawn four of their last six home matches

Probable teams

Cardiff (3-5-2): Allsop; Ng, McGuiness, Kipre; Romeo, Rinomhota, Sawyers, Wintle, O'Dowda; Etete, Kaba.
Subs: Alnwick, Philogene, Ralls, Robinson, Wickham, Ojo, Simpson.

Reading (3-5-2): Lumley; Yiadom, Sarr, McIntyre; Hoilett, Fornah, Loum, Hendrick, Guinness-Walker; Ince, Carroll.
Subs: Bouzanis, Meite, Long, Mbengue, Azeez, Dann, Casadei.

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