When : Saturday February 3 2024, 12.30pm
Where : The Kassam Stadium, Grenoble Road, Oxford, OX4 4XP
Capacity : 12,500
Local derby time again and this time it's the turn of the Oxen to play host to the struggling Royals.
Playing fortunes couldn't be more different for the two clubs with the Yellows being right up amongst the play off pack and Reading desperate to get out of the relegation mire. Form for the U's though isn't all that smart with no wins at home since Boxing Day and only 2 wins in the 7 league games played since then. On top of that they've not kept a clean sheet since beating Burton 3-0 in mid-December so sounds like there are opportunities for Reading if they can get themselves together.
Midfielders Cameron Brannigan and Tyler Goodrham have bagged 13 so far, as have strikers Ruben Rodrigues and Mark Harris. Oxford would also appear to be no slouches at set pieces either as defender Greg Leigh has knocked in 5 so far, so plenty there to keep Reading's defensive side occupied.
Injuries currently would appear to amount to a small doubt over Holmes after the game with Orient but otherwise a clean bill of health for anyone who is still a Reading player by Saturday.
Despite the kick off time the game is NOT on the telly, it's been switched on the advice of plod to help them cope with the thousands of thug football supporters that will apparently be going at each other
Referee
Scott Oldham
Previously
21 Oct 23 > Charlton Athletic 4-0 Reading
07 Apr 23 > Reading 1-1 Birmingham City
Historically
Reading and Oxford only started playing against each other in 1965 and since then there have only been 25 league games played. This fixture generally produces a winner with only 2 recorded draws in the league to date though the last draw was in Reading in December (the previous one was at Elm Park in February 1968). This will be Reading's first league visit to The Kassam but the club have previously visited on 2 occasions (winning both) in the league cup competitions of 2003 and 2004.
So far league trips to Oxfordshire have returned 8 defeats and 4 victories from the 12 league games played, however Reading have won both of the last 2 league trips with the last defeat being in THAT game, in March 1998, which saw the last of Terry Bullivant and the late Allan Harris as a management team.
How to follow the game
- Get a ticket and travel
- Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
- Ring/text a mate for updates
- Use a RoyalTV subscription
- BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
