Reading vs QPR April 28, 2013
This game can only be billed as the battle to avoid the Premier League’s wooden spoon. Defeat will mean relegation but even if either side win, they will be relegated if Aston Villa beat Sunderland on Monday night. Both sides trail Villa by 10 points with four games remaining and only the greatest of escapes will avoid this fixture featuring in the Championship next season.
Nigel Adkins has managed to pick up just one point since taking over at Reading and the Royals have failed to win in their last nine games. QPR have not fared much better, having only earned one point in their last five games.
Both teams will be among the Championship favourites next season, although Harry Redknapp has insisted an immediate return to the top flight will not be easy for his high-earning flops.
The one consolation each side will take from this season is the £60 million that they will receive from parachute payments, which will be paid in four instalments over the following four years.
Back in February, when Sky selected it for live broadcast, this fixture looked like it would be a classic six-pointer. For the players it will be a chance to impress potential suitors watching from their sofas ahead of the summer transfer window but for fans, only pride is at stake.
KICK-OFF: Sunday, 1.30pm
PAST THREE MEETINGS...
QPR 1 (Cisse) Reading 1 (Gorkss), Premier League, November 2012
QPR 2 (Hoilett, Cisse) Reading 3 (Gorkss, Shorey, Pogrebnyak), Capital One Cup, September 2012
Reading 0 QPR 1 (Routledge), Championship, February 2011
