Bristol City vs Reading Prediction: Bristol are the better team among the two on paper going into the game

On Saturday, Bristol City will welcome Reading to the Ashton Gate Stadium for a fixture in the EFL Championship. The hosts are seeking to reverse their recent decline and secure a positive result.

Prior to the international break, Bristol City suffered back-to-back defeats on away turf to Luton Town and Swansea City, during which they failed to find the back of the net. Consequently, they currently sit in 14th place in the standings, having amassed a total of 48 points from 38 matches.

As Bristol City enters the final stretch of the season with only eight matches remaining, they find themselves 12 points adrift from the playoffs and comfortably positioned above the relegation zone. Consequently, Nigel Pearson must now undertake the challenging task of sustaining his team's motivation, despite the limited stakes at play.

O'Leary; Tanner, Vyner, Pring, Dasilva; James, Weimann; Sykes, Scott, Bell; Wells

The responsibility of steering Reading towards a favorable outcome still lies within their control. However, the current situation is that Tom Ince has been entrusted with the formidable mission of breaking the team's five-match winless streak, which has seen them lose four of those games.

Encouragingly, Reading exhibited their fighting spirit and secured a 1-1 draw against Hull City in their previous outing, thereby granting Tom Ince and his team a foundation on which to construct their preparations for one of the pivotal fixtures of the season.

The financial difficulties afflicting the club have led to a widespread awareness that a six-point deduction is likely imminent. Were such a deduction to be implemented at present, Reading would find themselves precariously positioned only three points above the relegation zone. This is a reality that Paul Ince will undoubtedly consider as he prepares for the upcoming fixture.

Lumley; Holmes, Dann, Sarr; Yiadom, Ince, Hendrick, Casadei, Guinness-Walker; Carroll, Joao.

The upcoming match features two teams situated in the lower echelons of the Championship table, who have each averaged slightly over a goal per game throughout the season. With both Bristol City and Reading in search of a vital victory, it is conceivable that they may opt for a cautious approach, resulting in a closely contested fixture. Bristol are the better team among the two on paper and we expect them to win the game. Expect less than 2.5 goals in the game.