Tuesday’s Carabao Cup third round clash sees Reading hosting Brentford, and let me tell you, this isn’t just another cup game. The League One Royals are looking to absolutely stun Premier League opposition at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, especially after their five-match unbeaten run across all competitions got snapped this past Saturday with a 2-1 defeat at Cambridge United. Talk about a chance to bounce back with a statement!
Reading Is Hunting a Massive Upset to Fuel Their Promotion Dream
Leam Richardson’s Royals are not hiding their promotion ambitions this term, and a cup upset against a top-flight team? That would be a timely boost, no doubt about it. They haven’t faced Brentford since a 3-1 Championship defeat back in February 2021, a long time ago in a division far, far away when both clubs were actually equals. Reading has been in League One for the last three seasons while Brentford has soared into the Premier League. This is a chance for Reading to show everyone they’re building something special, especially with their home scoring prowess. They’ve actually scored more first-half goals at home than any other team in League One this season! Josh Stokes is tipped for a return after injury, and we should expect some heavy rotation from Richardson, with Jacob Brown likely leading the line instead of Jack Marriott, and Liam Fraser and Charlie Savage set to start in midfield.
Brentford’s “Unbeaten” Run Hides a Very Real Problem
Meanwhile, Keith Andrews’ Brentford might be unbeaten across all competitions this season, but don’t let that fool you. They’ve *drawn* their last three matches, and that includes a 2-2 stalemate at Bournemouth where Kevin Schade scored twice. Three draws in a row? That’s not the kind of “unbeaten” streak that fills fans with confidence. Andrews himself admitted his side “did not attack with conviction” in that Bournemouth game. Yikes. They’ll be without Kaye Furo, who had surgery for a training injury, but Benjamin Fredrick is expected to be involved after returning to full training. Callum Wilson is set to replace Igor Thiago as the lone striker, with Dango Ouattara, Fabio Carvalho, and Rico Henry all in contention to start. Andrews will be absolutely desperate for a much-changed Brentford team to show some real purpose against lower-league opposition.
This Tuesday, it’s not just a cup game; it’s a test of Brentford’s nerve and Reading’s ambition. Can Reading pull off the upset and light a fire under their promotion push, or will Brentford finally find their attacking conviction? Kick-off is at 8:00 PM BST, and you know we’ll be watching to see what goes down!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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