David Prutton offer score prediction for Nottingham Forest’s clash with Reading

After securing an FA Cup quarter-final tie with Liverpool earlier in the week, Nottingham Forest will get back to league matters this weekend when they face a struggling Reading side at the City Ground.

Steve Cooper didn’t shuffle the pack much against Huddersfield Town on Monday evening, and his plan did the trick as Forest came from a goal behind to defeat the Terriers 2-1.

Progression in the cup is exciting but the real bread and butter stuff is in the Championship, and right now Forest sit in 10th position on 52 points – five adrift of the play-off places.

With a game in-hand on all their rivals though, the Reds will look to take advantage against a Reading team that have lost two games on the spin following a perfect start to Paul Ince’s interim reign at the Royals with a 2-1 win over Birmingham City.

Reading sit dangerously close to the relegation zone with Derby and Barnsley potentially looming behind them, and former Forest midfielder turned EFL pundit David Prutton is predicting more misery for Ince’s side on their travels with a 2-1 win for the hosts on his mind.

“Nottingham Forest are enjoying a dream FA Cup run but they need to keep their mind on the task at hand as they prepare to face Reading on Saturday,” Prutton said on his Sky Sports podcast.

The Championship play-offs are still within sight.

“Reading have endured back-to-back defeats now under interim boss Paul Ince, and the sides below them are starting to loom menacingly again.

“From what I’ve seen in the last couple of games it’s hard to make a case for them to take anything from the City Ground.”

The Verdict

With Reading having a very leaky defence this season, it is indeed a struggle to see them getting much away from home against dangerous