Expert Reading v Bournemouth predictions and free football tips by Dan Childs

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Reading v Bournemouth in the Championship on Friday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Football, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Reading draw no bet
1pt 13-10 BoyleSports, Hills

Team news

Reading
Lewis Gibson returned to the bench at Preston but Andy Yiadom, Yakou Meite, Felipe Araruna, Liam Moore and George Puscas remain sidelined.

Bournemouth
Dan Gosling (illness) misses out but Chris Mepham and Junior Stanislas could return.

Match preview

Bournemouth's bid for an immediate return to the Premier League has been undermined by back-to-back defeats and their problems could increase with a loss at promotion rivals Reading.

The Cherries are still 6-4 shots to go up despite being sixth in the table. Fifth-placed Reading are two points better off yet they are 7-1 to be playing top-flight football next term.

And the Royals are also rated outsiders to claim their ninth home league win of the campaign while Bournemouth are favourites to post their fifth away success.

But Reading have looked the more accomplished team in recent weeks and the match prices look worth taking on.

It appeared that the Royals' bubble had burst after four successive defeats from late October to late November but they have responded impressively in recent weeks, collecting 11 points from a possible 15 since Christmas Day.

Veljko Paunovic's squad is small and inexperienced compared with many of their promotion rivals and the team's success relies a lot on keeping key individuals fit.

Lucas Joao has been the talisman in attack, scoring 14 goals in 19 league appearances, and the midfield has functioned a lot better since the recent return from injury of John Swift, who is one of the better passers in the division.

Swift's technical qualities are helping the Royals to control games a lot more than they did earlier in the season and it is interesting that he is being been preferred to Michael Olise, who comfortably tops Reading's assists charts with eight.

Bournemouth's squad is bigger and includes several highly rated players, including Jack Wilshere, who recently signed up until the end of the season, but manager Jason Tindall has been struggling to come up with the right selection and formation.

Tindall switched from a back three to a back four during the 1-0 loss at Derby ten days ago but his team performed well below expectations.

Wilshere impressed off the bench at Derby and built on it with a start and a goal in Tuesday's 2-1 success at home to Crawley in the FA Cup fourth round.

The 29-year-old's quality could make a big difference if he stays fit for the rest of the season but it is early days in his Bournemouth career and far too soon to assume that he alone is the Cherries' missing link.

Overall, player confidence levels have been ebbing away during the recent run of three games without a victory and that process may continue with a defeat in Berkshire.

Key stat

Reading have won eight of their last 12 home league games

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