Finished
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Reading - Watford
England Championship - Select Car Leasing Stadium
Prediction 1
Reading to win
9/5 (2.80)
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Odds from
Prediction 2
BTTS - No
17/20 (1.85)
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Odds from
* Betting odds were correct at the time of publication but are subject to change.
Here we bring you Championship predictions for Reading vs Watford with the game due to take place on Saturday February 4th.
Reading vs Watford: Our top betting predictions
Neither of these sides are putting together anything like a consistent run of form, which could prove costly in what is a fiercely contested Championship table. Will either side find a way of winning this game? Find out with our Reading vs Watford match preview with free tips, predictions and odds mentioned along the way.
Contents
Reading to win
We have mentioned in our opening that neither of these sides are particularly consistent and that is true; Reading have lost three of their last five whilst recording one win and a draw whilst Watford have won two, lost two and drawn one of their past five games. Where the consistency changes a little bit is when you dive into the respective home and away form. It is for this reason why we're predicting Reading win this match. Let's explain why. The Royals are unbeaten at home in four games winning three and drawing the other. Watford by contrast have lost three of their last four away games including each of their last two. Reading have also won the last two times they've entertained the Hornets.
Someone will fail to score
Our next prediction for this game comes from the both teams to score market and we're betting on the ‘no' outcome. Reading have seen three of their last five matches end with someone failing to score; they've kept one clean sheet in those games whilst failing to score on two occasions. Watford meanwhile have seen just one of their last five matches end with goals at both ends. In those four games, the Hornets have kept two clean sheets and blanked in two games. As for the head to head record, the last five meetings have all ended with at least one side failing to score; that means they last clash where both teams did bag goals was in 2015!
Here are the key stats & form guide for Reading vs Watford
Head to Head
07/01/23
England FA Cup FA Cup
Reading
Watford
2
0
08/11/22
England Championship CHA
Watford
Reading
2
0
10/09/22
England Championship CHA
Watford
Reading
0
0
09/04/21
England Championship CHA
Watford
Reading
2
0
03/10/20
England Championship CHA
Reading
Watford
1
0
Last Five - Reading
31/08/24
England League 1 League 1
Charlton
Reading
0
2
W
24/08/24
England League 1 League 1
Wrexham
Reading
3
0
L
20/08/24
England EFL Trophy England
West Ham U21
Reading
1
3
W
17/08/24
England League 1 League 1
Wigan
Reading
0
2
W
13/08/24
England EFL Cup EFL Cup
Colchester
Reading
2 (4)
2 (3)
L
Last Five - Watford
01/09/24
England Championship CHA
Sheff Utd
Watford
1
0
L
27/08/24
England EFL Cup EFL Cup
Plymouth
Watford
0
2
W
24/08/24
England Championship CHA
Derby
Watford
1
2
W
17/08/24
England Championship CHA
Stoke
Watford
0
3
W
13/08/24
England EFL Cup EFL Cup
Milton Keynes Dons
Watford
0
5
W
So, that gives you some insight to how the different bookmakers see the action unfolding. How though do the bookies odds translate into probabilities ahead of this game and how might that impact your view of our predictions? Let's find out.
Reading odds: 9/5 (2.80) – 36%
Draw odds: 15/7 (3.14) – 32%
Watford odds: 11/7 (2.57) – 39%
Watford arrive into this game as favourites but with just a 3% probability edge over Reading in the bookmakers pricing it's clear that this game is going to be an intense battle between two sides that still hold onto promotion dreams. It's not just the match result markets that are finely balanced either. The both teams to score market sees the ‘yes' and ‘no' options both priced at odds on. Seemingly, the only thing the bookies are sure of is that the game will be a low scorer with the under 2.5 goals market offered at a very short price!
Check out the predicted lineups ahead of Reading vs Watford
Reading
Reading's results haven't gone to plan in recent weeks and after their league outing ended in a tragic 4-0 defeat it would be almost guaranteed that we see a few changes for this match. We're expecting a step back towards the side that drew with QPR, which would see the Royals line up with a highly attacking side.
Predicted lineup – Lumley, Yiadom, Holmes, Sarr, Loum, Hoilett, Hendrick, Hutchinson, Baba, Ince, Carroll
Watford
Watford currently sit in the playoff places but a combination of poor form, intense competition and a growing injury list has Hornets fans very worried about the run in. That said, they'll see this match as one they can win and we're anticipating them to lineup in a manner that would really see them take the game to their hosts.
Predicted lineup – Bachmann, Ferreira, Sierralta, Cathcart, Morris, Gaspar, Choudhury, Kone, Sarr, Martins, Bayo
Starting Lineups
Reading
Watford
*Starting lineups are usually announced one hour prior to kick off.
Player to watch
If you're talking about match winners then these sides boast a fair few. The one we're picking out though is Watford's Senegal international Ismaila Sarr. He has two goal contributions in his last four games and sits on 13 contributions for the season at a rate of one every 153 minutes.
Check out the latest standings
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Sunderland | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 12 |
| 2 |  West Brom | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 10 |
| 3 | Watford | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| 4 |  Leeds | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| 5 |  Blackburn | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| 6 |  Burnley | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| 7 |  Middlesbrough | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| 8 |  Sheff Utd | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| 9 |  Oxford Utd | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 10 |  Derby | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 11 |  Stoke | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 6 |
| 12 |  QPR | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 5 |
| 13 |  Norwich | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 5 |
| 14 |  Bristol City | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | -2 | 5 |
| 15 |  Millwall | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 16 |  Swansea | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 17 |  Coventry | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 4 |
| 18 |  Portsmouth | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | -2 | 3 |
| 19 |  Hull | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | -2 | 3 |
| 20 |  Sheff Wed | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -5 | 3 |
| 21 |  Preston | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -6 | 3 |
| 22 |  Plymouth | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -5 | 2 |
| 23 |  Luton | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | -5 | 1 |
| 24 |  Cardiff | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | -9 | 1 |
A quickfire FAQ on Reading vs Watford
- Where is the match being played? – Select Car Leasing Stadium
- Who do the bookmakers have as favourites? – Watford
- What time does the match kick off? 3 PM GMT
