Prediction, team news, and lineups for Watford vs. Reading.

In preparation for their upcoming EFL campaigns, Championship club Watford will play a behind-closed-doors friendly against League One side Reading on Saturday at The Watford Football Club Training Ground.

This is Watford and Reading’s first pre-season game, and both will be hoping to improve on last season’s results, as they finished 15th and 17th in their respective leagues in 2023-24.

After two seasons in the Championship, the home side will be hoping to gain promotion to the Premier League for the third time.

They begin pre-season with Tom Cleverley, who was named permanent manager on April 24 after a somewhat successful interim period following Valerien Ismael’s dismissal on March 9.

Cleverley began his Watford tenure with a victory over Birmingham on March 16, but his team drew the next four games.

The Hornets finished the season with two losses, one draw, and a win, and while Cleverley’s team struggled for wins, they did break a run of poor form.

In fact, prior to his appointment as interim manager, Watford had lost six out of eight Championship games.

Furthermore, under Cleverley, the Hornets kept five clean sheets, which is an impressive feat given that they had only kept five in the previous 25 league games.

However, given that Cleverley is Watford’s 26th manager since November 2008, it is entirely possible that a slow start to the Championship campaign will result in his dismissal, and as such, he will be aware of the high expectations placed on him to deliver greater success this season.

Reading manager Ruben Selles has been in charge since June 2023, taking over a team that had recently been relegated from England’s second division.

Selles’ debut season as manager in 2023-24 was not particularly fruitful, with his side finishing 17th in League One and only nine points ahead of Cheltenham Town, who were relegated in 21st place.

However, it should be noted that Reading were docked six points throughout the season due to owner Dai Yongge’s failure to pay employees on time and for late HMRC payments.

To their credit, the team scored 68 goals on the pitch, the eighth most in the division, but they also conceded 70 goals, the fourth most in the league.

The Royals finished the season with a mixed record, winning four, losing three, and drawing two of their final nine League One games.

Furthermore, they only kept 11 clean sheets in 46 league games, conceding 15 goals in their last nine.

Reading, unlike Watford, have yet to make any signings in the transfer window, so it will be interesting to see if Selles is given enough support to help his team win promotion back to the Championship.

Team News

Kwadwo Baah, Watford’s winger, spent much of last season on the treatment table after his loan spell with Burton was cut short in January due to a hamstring injury that has kept him out since.

More positively, the Hornets are likely to give minutes to new signing Mamadou Doumbia, who signed a six-year contract with the club in February and arrived on July 1.

Goalkeeper Jonathan Bond also signed a one-year contract with Watford, and given that he began his career with the Hornets, he will undoubtedly be eager for minutes.

Loanees Samuel Kalu and Imran Louza have returned to the club following their loan spells with FC Lausanne-Sport and Lorient, and they may play in preseason.

Reading have not made any signings yet, and their future under owner Dai Yongge is uncertain.

Winger Paul Mukairu’s loan from FC Copenhagen has expired, and defenders Clinton Mola and Matty Carson have left on free transfers to Bristol Rovers and Grimsby Town, respectively.

Elsewhere, left back Nesta Guinness-Walker and Sam Hutchinson, both defensive midfielders, were released by Reading and are currently without a club.

Watford’s possible starting lineup: Bond; Porteous, Hoedt, Pollock; Grieves, Kone, Kayembe, Baah; Massiah-Edwards, Doumbia, Bayo.

Reading possible starting lineup: Pereira; Abrefa, Mbengue, Bindon, Dorsett; Elliott, Savage; Azeez, Knibbs, and Ehibhatiomhan; Wareham.

Although Watford has a history of coaching instability, they do have ownership certainty.

Furthermore, given Reading’s League One status and the fact that they have yet to make any signings this window, it is reasonable to assume they will struggle on Saturday.

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