Preview: Reading vs. Hull City - prediction, team news, lineups

Resurgent Hull City will be aiming to make it five consecutive wins when they travel to Reading in the Championship on Saturday.

The Tigers' recent run has lifted them out of the relegation zone to 19th, one point ahead of Reading who are 21st.

Match preview

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It was only a month ago that Hull, winners of League One last season, looked doomed to be relegated straight back to the third tier following a run of five successive defeats with just one goal scored.

But the Tigers have been proof that you should never write any team off, as Grant McCann has masterminded a remarkable turnaround that has seen them win their last four games and rise five points above the bottom three.

Their latest victory came over a stubborn Millwall side last weekend as goals from George Honeyman and Ryan Longman secured a 2-1 triumph.

Hull remain the second-lowest scorers in the Championship this season with just 16 goals to their name, but seven of those have come in their current winning streak.

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Reading, on the other hand, are the second-highest scorers in the bottom half but they also have the third-worst defence in the whole division, having not kept a clean sheet since mid-October.

The club's points deduction has plunged them into a potential relegation battle, but they secured a surprise 3-2 win away at Swansea City last weekend which Veljko Paunovic said was a statement that his team would never give up.

Tom Dele-Bashiru, Andy Carroll and Danny Drinkwater were all on the scoresheet as the Royals earned just their second victory in eight matches.

Reading have taken only one point from their last four home matches and have only beaten Hull once in their last 12 meetings with the Tigers.

These are the two sides with the fewest draws to their name in the Championship this season (Reading with two and Hull with three), so perhaps a winner will be found despite them being so close in the league table.

Team News

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Liam Moore and Ovie Ejaria missed Reading's win over Swansea last weekend through injury, but could be fit to return on Saturday.

Junior Hoilett has been back in training this week so could be close to featuring, while Tom McIntyre is in the "final stages" of his recovery from a foot injury.

Carroll's goal in South Wales should ensure that he keeps his place in the starting lineup ahead of George Puscas.

Grant McCann is expected to name an unchanged Hull side from the one that started against Millwall last weekend.

Lewie Coyle, Josh Emmanuel and Alfie Jones remain absent but it is hoped that Matt Smith is not too far away from a return.

George Honeyman has scored three goals in his last four appearances, having failed to find the back of the net this season previously.

Reading possible starting lineup:
Southwood; Yiadom, Dann, Holmes, Rahman; Laurent; Halilovic, Drinkwater, Swift, Dele-Bashiru; Carroll

Hull City possible starting lineup:
Baxter; Bernard, McLoughlin, Greaves; Lewis-Potter, Smallwood, Docherty, Longman; Honeyman; Wilks, Magennis

We say: Reading 2-2 Hull City

Hull continue to surprise with the results they have picked up so it would be naive to write them off, but Reading's confidence will have been given a huge boost by victory over Swansea so they will not roll over for the Tigers. This should be an entertaining game, but one which we think will end level.

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