Birmingham City’s League One promotion push continues with a trip to Reading today (12:30pm).
Blues secured a spot at Wembley in the Vertu Trophy final by beating Bradford City on Tuesday, but the main goal this season has always been to seal an immediate return to the Championship.
Chris Davies’ side have built up a six-point lead at the top of the table and 11 points separate Blues and third-placed Wrexham. Blues also have two games in hand on the teams below them.
Everything is looking rosy for Blues as they prepare to face a Reading side with play-off ambitions of their own. The Royals are ninth, four points off the top six, and have won 11 of their 15 matches at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
The spoils were shared when the two teams met on the opening day of the season back in August.
Alex Dicken is in position to keep you updated on what happens today…
Report and ratings
League One leaders Birmingham City added another point to their tally with a 0-0 draw against play-off contenders Reading on Saturday afternoon.
Blues couldn’t break down a stubborn defence and were held by Reading for the second time this season after their opening day draw.
Check out our report and ratings HERE
FT: Reading 0-0 Blues
The spoils are shared in Reading and it was probably fair on the balance of play. Dykes missed the big chance for Blues but Reading had moments of their own.
Blues have 70 points from the first 30 matches and extend their lead at the top to seven.
Two late Blues changes
Chris Davies appears to have settled for a point in the final minute of normal time. Defender Grant Hanley and Taylor Gardner-Hickman are on for Dowell and Anderson.
Almost for May... and Klarer
May has looked dangerous since coming on and almost worked half a yard inside the Reading box before a recovering challenge thwarted him.
Klarer has just had a header that was looping in before Tyler Bindon cleared off the line.
Dykes has an injury
Moments after missing the best chance of the game, Dykes has had to go off with an injury. The striker was chasing a ball over the top and went down without any contact.
Dykes has hobbled off to be replaced by Alfie May. League One's reigning Golden Boot winner has a point to prove.
Dykes had to score
Mbengue has somehow just denied Dykes on the goal-line. Anderson squared it, the goalkeeper was beaten, but Dykes' effort was cleared. Blues should be 1-0 up.
Yes, Dykes has hit the target and been denied, but he shouldn't have given the defender a chance there.
Allsop with a good save
Blues have started this second half well to work their way into Reading's box on a couple of occasions but the hosts have just had the first shot on target.
Lewis Wing stung the palms of Ryan Allsop from range and Blues eventually got the ball behind for a corner. The Blues goalkeeper claimed the resulting corner confidently.
And the second half begins
Kieran Dowell has got the ball rolling for the second half. Blues are now kicking towards their 3,000 strong away following.
Chris Davies has made no changes at the break. It surely can't be long before we see 11-goal striker Alfie May.
HT: Reading 0-0 Blues
A very even match and a little bit low on quality because of the pitch. A decent chance apiece for Campbell and Willumsson.
It's taking players two touches to get the ball under control and allowing very little football to be played. A more direct approach might be needed in the second half if Blues are to take three points.
Willumsson should do better
A good chance for Willumsson after Cochrane's low cross found its way to the Icelandic in space. The ball flew up in the air off Willumsson's left boot and landed in the hands of Reading keeper Pereira.
At the other end, Chem Campbell had the best chance of the first half when he met an inswinging corner taken by Charlie Savage – the son of ex-Blues midfielder Robbie – but the header sailed over the crossbar.
The pitch isn't helping
The poor pitch isn't helping either side get into any passing rhythm. Keshi Anderson and Kieran Dowell are trying to combine but they need too many touches to get the ball under control due to the bobbling surface.
Reading, who are clearly used to this pitch, have favoured long diagonals from left to right.
Neither team has created a clear-cut chance in the opening 30 minutes.
Scott Wright picks up an injury
Scott Wright has just gone down after a horrible landing with no one around him. It looked like his foot got caught in the ground.
Encouragingly, Wright is back on his feet and walking around the pitch. Willumsson has now replaced him.
It looks as though Willumsson will start on the right, with Dowell in the number 10 position.
For more on Wright's injury, click HERE
The teams are out and away we go
The teams are out and we have now kicked off at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
There's a healthy portion of Blues fans in the away end, which is situated behind Ryan Allsop's goal in the first half.
The pitch doesn't appear to be in great condition which could become a talking point at some stage.
An intriguing match up
Today pits the third best home record in League One against the best away record.
Reading have won 11 of their 15 home matches, taking 34 points in the process. Only Blues and Wrexham boast better home records.
Blues, meanwhile, have taken 30 points from 14 matches, giving them an average of more than two points per game on the road. No team has fared better than the league leaders on their travels.
Reading team news
Reading have made one change from their victory over Rotherham with Camara coming in up front for Wareham.
The Royals play a 4-3-3 formation and have a few players to look out for.
Ex-Villa kid Harvey Knibbs is the man in form for Reading with 11 goals from midfield and there are a couple of Blues links in their XI too. Charlie Savage is the son of ex-Blues midfielder Robbie and Chem Campbell spent time in Blues’ academy before joining Wolves in his teens.
(4-3-3): Pereira; Craig, Mbengue, Bindon, Garcia; Wing, Knibbs, Savage; Campbell, Camara, Ehibhatiomhan
Subs: Button, Abrefa, Rushesha, Akande, Holzman, Bodin, Wareham
Blues team news
Lyndon Dykes gets the nod to replace Jay Stansfield. Ethan Laird and Keshi Anderson come back in for Taylor Gardner-Hickman and Willum Willumsson.
Scott Wright keeps his place in the XI, meaning Kieran Dowell will likely move into the number 10 position.
(4-2-3-1): Allsop; Laird, Klarer, Davies, Cochrane; Iwata, Paik; Wright, Dowell, Anderson; Dykes
Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Bielik, Hanley, Gardner-Hickman, Hansson, Willumsson, May
How will Blues replace Stansfield?
Chris Davies' main selection dilemma centres around how to replace top scorer and talisman Jay Stansfield. The striker begins a spell on the sidelines with a leg injury today and Lyndon Dykes and Alfie May are in the running to replace him.
Davies even suggested that both Dykes and May could start against Reading at his press conference yesterday. Let's not forget, Dykes has been used effectively as a number 10 since the turn of the year.
Read what Davies said about the subject HERE
Good morning
Hello from the Select Car Leasing Stadium where Blues face another promotion contender in Reading. The ninth-placed Royals have a strong home record having won 11 of their 15 matches here this season. Only Blues and Wrexham have been more productive in front of their own fans.
Blues haven't had many lunchtime kick-offs this season but their next two games, including Wycombe next weekend, are 12:30pm starts.
Reading (a)
— Alex Dicken (@alexedicken) February 22, 2025
One of the toughest away days in League One for Chris Davies’ league leaders. Reading have won 11 of their 15 home matches. Blues unbeaten in 15 league games dating back to November. pic.twitter.com/K1thxUw2Cj
