Reading vs Cambridge United Prediction: Smith can shine for Royals

Reading are looking to add another win to their excellent home record when they host Cambridge United in League One at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Tuesday night (20:00 kick-off).

The Royals are in seventh place in the table, outside the play-off spots on goal difference, while Cambridge have shown some improvement after a terrible start to the campaign but remain in the relegation zone in 22nd place with 13 points from 16 matches. Read on for my Reading vs Cambridge United prediction.

Football Odds

Team News

Reading manager Ruben Seles fielded a much-changed line-up for the FA Cup second-round game against non-league Harborough Town on Saturday, so regulars Sam Smith, Harvey Knibbs and Charlie Savage are set to return to the starting XI.

Cambridge made four changes for Saturday's FA Cup game against Wigan with defenders Kell Watts and Zeno Ibsen Rossi starting, along with forwards Elias Kachunga and Dan Nlundulu, while Emmanuel Longelo was an unused substitute after returning from injury.

The whole squad will need to be assessed with six players featuring for all 120 minutes, but Sullay Kaikai is a particular concern after lasting just 34 minutes.

Reading vs Cambridge United Odds

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Reading are 9/10 favourites at home, with Cambridge on offer at 16/5 and the draw priced at 11/4.

Over 2.5 goals is priced at 4/5, with under 2.5 at 10/11, and it's 8/11 that both teams score in the match and evens for at least one team to fail to find the net.

Reading to win @ 5/6

Reading have been a force to be reckoned with at home in League One this season, winning six of their seven matches in Berkshire with Wigan, Charlton and Huddersfield among their victims.

They have only dropped points at home in a 1-0 loss to Leyton Orient in September and had won six successive games at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in all competitions until a much-changed line-up needed extra-time to overcome non-league Harborough Town 5-3 on Saturday.

The Royals had produced two solid league performances before that, with a 2-1 win at Peterborough followed by a 2-2 draw at Barnsley and their strikers are in excellent form with Harvey Knibbs scoring both goals against the Posh and Sam Smith notching a double against the Tykes.

Cambridge's form can be looked at in one of two ways. The positive approach is to say that after losing 10 and drawing two of their first 12 games this season, they have lost only one of their subsequent 10 matches in 90 minutes.

There's not much substance to that improvement, though, with the most notable of their five victories in all competitions being a 2-0 home league success over Wigan in October, while three of the other wins were a 1-0 victory over rock-bottom Burton and cup triumphs over non-league and under-21 teams.

The U's were bashed 6-1 in their derby game at Peterborough but drew with Barnsley, Northampton and Bolton in the league before Saturday's extra-time home defeat by Wigan in the FA Cup. None of that makes them likely candidates for a road win over Reading and the home side should come out on top.

Sam Smith first goalscorer @ 6/4

Reading striker Sam Smith should be raring to go having missed the first three weeks of November due to a foot injury but he looked as good as new when scoring twice in the 2-2 draw at Barnsley last Tuesday and he was not asked to come off the bench in Saturday's FA Cup game.

Smith will be keen to impress in this match having played for Cambridge for two years before returning to Reading last season and scoring 15 goals in 34 league games.

He has seven goals in 14 appearances so far this term and can add to his home goals against Charlton, Burton, Crawley and Bristol Rovers.

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