Preview: Rotherham United vs. Reading

Sports Mole previews Saturday’s League One clash between Rotherham United and Reading, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Both on the back of midweek victories, Rotherham United and Reading will square off at the New York Stadium on Saturday.

The visitors have moved within two points of the top six in the League One table with back-to-back wins, while their visitors climbed up to 17th spot with a crucial three-point haul on the road.

Match preview
© Imago

Rotherham United return to the New York Stadium on Saturday looking to make it back-to-back league wins for the first time since October 2022, having endured a tough start to life back in England’s third tier after succumbing to relegation from the Championship last time around.

Aiming to bounce back up at the first time of asking under the management of Steve Evans, the South Yorkshire outfit earned just seven points from their first eight outings, only winning one of those and managing just six goals along the way.

After that solitary victory, a 2-1 triumph over Huddersfield Town in late August, the Millers went winless in September, culminating in a disappointing 1-1 draw away at strugglers Shrewsbury Town last weekend as Jonson Clarke-Harris earned them a point with a 70th-minute penalty.

Desperate to get back to winning ways and kickstart their campaign, Evans’s men most recently visited basement side Cambridge United on Tuesday, and after the contest looked set to end in a goalless stalemate, only for Sam Nombe to snatch all three points with a close-range header in injury time.

While they do already trail the playoff spots by five points and League One’s top two by seven as a result of their disappointing start, Rotherham United should take a renewed sense of confidence from their late midweek win and will bid to keep building momentum and climbing the division with another three-point haul at the weekend.

They face a tough test, though, as the visitors arrive at the New York Stadium aiming to make it three wins on the bounce in a pleasing start to their League One campaign.

Aiming to build on a creditable 17th-placed finish in their first season under Ruben Selles last time around, having overcome a six-point deduction, Reading currently sit 12th after eight rounds of fixtures having earned 13 points courtesy of four victories and a draw.

After suffering their second and third defeats of the season consecutively in September, the Royals have bounced back in impressive fashion, recording back-to-back wins having firstly returned to winning ways by beating Huddersfield Town 2-1 last weekend thanks to goals from Harvey Knibbs and Ben Elliott.

Burton Albion then visited the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Tuesday and Selles’s men took all three points in dominant fashion, with a late Danilo Orsi consolation for the visitors being the only blemish after a Chem Campbell brace and a Sam Smith goal had the Royals 3-0 up.

Having now climbed back into the top half of League One with just a two-point gap up to the top six, Reading will bid to make it three wins on the bounce when they visit the New York Stadium to further strengthen their standing as the division continues to take shape.

Rotherham United League One form:

Reading League One form:

Team News
© Imago

Steve Evans may opt to deploy an unchanged Rotherham United starting XI from Tuesday’s victory away at Cambridge United, although Sam Nombe does have a claim to come in from the outset after netting the decisive goal off the bench in that game.

The Millers switched shape for the trip to the Abbey Stadium and could again line up in a 4-4-1-1 setup, with Joe Rafferty, Cameron Humphreys, Jamie McCart and Reece James all bound to keep their places in defence.

Christ Tiehi will compete to return to the midfield from the outset, but Shaun McWilliams and Joe Powell could again get the nod instead, while Mallik Wilks and Jonson Clark-Harris will both bid to keep their places at the top end of the pitch.

Reading could also be unchanged from their midweek victory, with goalkeeper Joel Pereira and defender Andy Yiadom remaining sidelined by injuries.

Despite competition from experienced centre-back Harlee Dean, Tyler Bindon and Amadou Mbengue should again be trusted at the heart of a back four, while Ben Elliott and Lewis Wing continue to play important roles in the engine room.

Next to them, Harvey Knibbs will offer support to a front three led by Sam Smith alongside Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan and Chem Campbell, who netted his first two goals for the club against Burton Albion on Tuesday following a loan switch from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Rotherham United possible starting lineup:
Dawson; Rafferty, Humphreys, McCart, James; Hungbo, McWilliams, Powell, Bramall; Wilks; Clarke-Harris

Reading possible starting lineup:
Button; Craig, Mbengue, Bindon, Garcia; Wing, Elliott, Knibbs; Ehibhatiomhan, Smith, Campbell

We say: Rotherham United 1-1 Reading
Rotherham United will hope that Tuesday’s victory kickstart a winning run and a fast climb up the League One table, but they face a tough test on Saturday against a Reading side growing in confidence and we anticipate a share of the spoils in South Yorkshire.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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