Reading vs Burnley: Match Preview

The Royals welcome the Clarets to the SCL in the third round of the FA Cup.

Reading and Burnley, both unbeaten in 2025. What an achievement, but only one can continue unbeaten as the Royals and the Clarets meet in the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon at the SCL.

Reading go into this match four unbeaten, gaining 10 points from a possible 12. The performance against Charlton Athletic could have been a little bit better, but considering the injuries the Royals have, it was a very good result.

Burnley most recently won 1-0 against Blackburn Rovers, putting them second in the table with a game in hand on leaders Leeds United. A win in that fixture would take them top of the table, looking likely to cruise through the rest of the season.

In this preview I will look at players who have played for both teams, examine the squad depth - hoping we can catch a break, highlight the importance of leaders and give my predicted lineup.

What? FA Cup round three

Season? 2024/25

Who? Burnley

Where? Select Car Leasing Stadium

When? Saturday January 11

Time? 15:00

Opposition manager? Scott Parker

Players who have played for both

Josh Laurent played 88 games for the Royals, scoring five goals and getting seven assists. His time with the Royals was short but he became one of my favourite players to play for the club.

He has recently signed for Burnley and has played 22 games, getting one assist. He has a high potential to be a Premier League player next year and I think he really deserves it.

Jeff Hendrick played three years for Burnley, accumulating 133 games for the club. In this time he scored 10 goals and got five assists.

He joined the Royals on loan in 2022, playing 46 games, scoring four times and assisting once. Hendrick is currently without a club after being released by Newcastle United at the end of last season.

Matej Vydra is a name I didn’t think I would mention in one of these previews. Signing for the Royals in 2015, he played 36 games for the club, which amounted in nine goals and three assists.

In 2018 he signed for Burnley, playing 97 times. In this period he scored 11 goals and assisted 10. He is currently at Viktoria Plzen where he has made 60 appearances, scoring 12 goals.

Nathaniel Chalobah is one of the most naturally gifted players we have ever had at the club. In 2014, on loan from Chelsea, he made only four appearances for the Clarets, so Chelsea recalled him and sent him on loan to the Royals.

In his short time with the Royals he made 20 appearances, scoring one goal and getting two assists. He is currently at Sheffield Wednesday where he hasn’t hit the ground running, only managing seven appearances.

Can we catch a break?

Currently Reading have eight first-team players out injured: Ben Elliott, Mamadi Camara, Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, Andy Yiadom, Michael Craig, Jeriel Dorsett, Adrian Akande and Chem Campbell, whose loan stay was extended on Friday, but he’s currently unavailable.

Noel Hunt did an interview with The Reading Chronicle talking about these injuries.

Elliott is still months away from recovering. This is a huge loss; although Charlie Savage has done very well to fill his boots, the attack is really missing someone like him in midfield. With the Royals having no direct replacement for him, they have had to adapt their style of play.

Ehibhatiomhan, Yiadom and Dorsett have been in training. But, due to being out for so long, it will take the first two a bit longer to be fully match fit. Akande and Craig are also on the grass, while Camara is a few weeks away from a return, having also been ill.

All of them are first-team-quality players and most will just walk straight back into the line-up.

I would say our strongest lineup (with no injuries) is:

Pereira

Yiadom, Mbengue, Bindon, Dorsett

Elliott, Wing, Craig

Knibbs, Smith, Ehibhatiomhan

We are yet to be able to play this lineup due to all the long-term injuries occurring at similar times.

Leaders

It’s always handy to have leaders in the dressing room. At the minute club captain Yiadom is injured, but stand-in captain Lewis Wing is doing a great job.

But he isn’t who I am going to focus on. Reading have an incredibly young squad so finding people who have leadership qualities is potentially scarce.

There are two players who I have seen have leadership qualities. If they stay, they could become a future club captain.

Firstly, Tyler Bindon. The young centre-back leads the defence like a prime Carles Puyol did for Barcelona. He has so much potential and could easily be a future Premier League star. The way he commands the back line shows an amazing level of maturity and other players show him a lot of respect. Due to how good he is, it is unlikely he stays at the club, but if he does then he could easily be the next club captain.

The other player (that may surprise you) who I think can be a future captain of Reading is Charlie Savage. The work rate he has, the amount of effort he gives for the club and that tackle against Charlton says it all really. It wasn’t actually the tackle that made me realise his leadership, it was his actions after. He got back up instantly and demanded others to follow up on a counter-attack.

The amount he runs and the amount he talks during a game is impressive - he’s not afraid to give it to another player and not afraid to say when they’re not performing as well. He is one that I think will stay and become a future club captain as well as a future Wales captain.

My lineup

Noel Hunt has stated that he intends to play a relatively strong line-up this weekend. This slightly alters my original thinking.

One change I think will be made is Tom Norcott in goal. He performed well when he had to come on at Walsall due to David Button’s red card and I think he deserves a chance to play a full match.

I think the defence will be the same as it was in the last game against Charlton. Amadou Mbengue, Bindon, Harlee Dean and Abraham Kanu. Dean was amazing against Charlton and I expect him to be a key part of the future of Reading.

The midfield, similar to the defence, will be the same. Wing, Savage and Harvey Knibbs will be the trio.

The attack is where I think there will be some changes. With the unavailability of Campbell (injured) and Camara (injured and ill), it is likely we see either a makeshift front three like against Charlton or a young one. I think it will be a mix of both: Emmanuel Osho, Jayden Wareham and Andre Garcia I predict will be the front three.

Score prediction: 1-1, Royals win on penalties!

Good luck to those going!

Come on you Royals!