Reading match preview

Introduction

• West Ham United go into Saturday afternoon's game against Reading following an extended break after their Boxing Day clash with Arsenal was called off due to industrial action on London Underground.

• The Hammers currently sit 12th in the Barclays Premier League on 23 points from 18 games. The Royals are 19th on ten points from 19 games, with just win to their name so far.

• West Ham United will be hoping to cast off the memories of last season, as Reading beat the Hammers on both occasions. The first meeting saw the Royals win 3-0 at home before they won 4-2 at the Boleyn Ground four months later.

• Despite Reading's vital wins, both sides went on to achieve promotion to the Barclays Premier League, Reading claimed top spot on 89 points and the Hammers were promoted via the Play-Offs.

• Last time out the Hammers suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Everton, when Carlton Cole was sent-off. The FA have since rescinded his red card so he is eligible to face the Royals.

• West Ham United have made only two errors leading to goals, with only Stoke having made fewer in the Premier League this season.

• West Ham United verses Reading is one of eight Barclays Premier League games taking place on 29 December. The others are as follows (3pm kick-off unless stated):

Sunderland v Tottenham (12.45pm)
Aston Villa v Wigan Athletic
Fulham v Swansea City
Manchester United v West Bromwich Albion
Norwich City v Manchester City
Stoke City v Southampton
Arsenal v Newcastle United (5.30pm)

Team News

West Ham United

• Jack Collison is pushing for his first start of the season after his late cameo against Everton. The Wales international has not started a game since the Play-Off final against Blackpool in May.

• Guy Demel should return to the matchday squad after recovering from the virus that kept him out of the Everton match. He could take the place of James Tomkins, who filled in at right-back last time out.

• Alou Diarra has also returned to full training after recovering from a thigh injury and will be hoping for just his second taste of Barclays Premier League action following four months out.

• Ricardo Vaz Te is inching ever-closer to a first-team return and it is hoped he will be ready to return to action in the New Year.

• Momo Diame will be missing after picking up a hamstring injury in the 3-2 loss to Liverpool. George McCartney will also be absent after picking up a knee injury in training, with no date yet set for his return. 

• Andy Carroll (knee) is making good progress but is still some weeks from making a comeback.

Reading

• Alex McCarthy is out long-term after undergoing shoulder surgery.

• Jason Roberts is unlikely to feature after missing the last two games with a hip injury.

Background

• The clubs have met just eleven times in their history; Reading hold the edge with six wins to the Hammers' three in that time.

• The biggest win for either side came on 1 January 2007 when the Royals hit six past West Ham United with no reply. Brynjar Gunnarsson, Stephen Hunt, Kevin Doyle and an Anton Ferdinand own goal gave the Royals a 4-0 lead at the break with Leroy Lita added a fifth before Doyle added his second and Reading's sixth in the second half.

• Reading have won five and lost just one of the last seven league meetings with West Ham.

• There have been three red cards in the last three games between the Royals and the Hammers. Collison and Joey O'Brien were both sent off in last season's match at the Madejski Stadium.

• Reading have conceded more goals than any other team in the Premier League this season (37).

• Jobi McAnuff, the Reading captain, played 14 games for the Hammers in the second half of the 2003/04 season.

• Reading Academy manager Eamonn Dolan is a former Hammers youth striker, who rose through the ranks to play 15 league games for the first team and scored three goals between 1985 and 1990

• Former Hammers manager Alan Pardew has been in charge at both clubs, taking the helm at the Royals in his first managerial role in 1999 and staying there until 2003, when he moved to West Ham United.

• The following players have worn the colours of both West Ham United and Reading during their careers - Tommy Allison, Ken Bainbridge, John Blackwood, Charles Cotton, William Davidson, Steve Death, Tommy Dixon, Jack Fletcher, Jack Flynn, Harry Gunning, Shaka Hislop, Jim Holmes, Sam Jennings, Thomas Kinsell, Herbert Lyon, Jobi McAnuff, Steve Mautone, Trevor Morley, Hayden Mullins, Geordie Reid, James Reid, Horace Ricketts, William Robson, Peter Simpson, Ron Tindall, Ernest Watts, Rod Williams, Alan Wooler and Len Young.

Last Time Out

Saturday 22 December 2012
Barclays Premier League
West Ham United 1-2 Everton
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Reid, Tomkins, O'Brien (Spence 81), Collins, Nolan, Jarvis (Collison 88), Taylor, Noble, O'Neil (Maiga 58), Cole.
Subs not used: Spiegel, Diarra, Moncur, Lletget.
Goal: Cole 14.

Wednesday 26 December 2012
Barclays Premier League
Swansea City 0-0 Reading
Reading: Federici, Gunter, Pearce, Mariappa, Harte, Kracan, Leigertwood, McAnuff )Robson-Kanu61), Kebe, Guthrie, Pogrebnyak (Le Fondre 61).
Subs not used: Taylor, Morrison, Cummings, Tabb, Hunt.

Previous meeting

West Ham United 2-4 Reading

Reading moved four points clear of West Ham United in the Championship promotion chase with a crucial 4-2 win at the Boleyn Ground. Carlton Cole gave the home side an early lead but two goals in two minutes from Kaspars Gorks and Noel Hunt gave Reading the edge at half-time. Ian Harte made it 3-1 from the spot after the break before Ricardo Vaz Te's header reduced the deficit. Mikele Leigertwood sealed a precious three points for the away side with six minutes remaining. The teams that day were:

West Ham United: Green, McCartney, Tomkins, Faye, Faubert, Nolan, Taylor (Baldock 60), Noble (Collins 46), O'Neil, Cole (Maynard 72), Vaz Te.
Subs not used: Lansbury, Carew.

Reading: Federici, Pearce, Gorkss, Harte, Cummings, Karacan (Tabb 55), Leigertwood, McAnuff, Kebe (Afobe 82), Hunt, Roberts.
Subs not used: McCarthy, Robson-Kanu, Church.

Last six meetings

(Barclays Premier League unless stated)

31 March 2012 - West Ham United 2-4 Reading (Championship)
10 December 2011 - Reading 3-0 West Ham United (Championship)
26 December 2007 - West Ham United 1-1 Reading?
1 September 2007 - Reading 0-3 West Ham United?
1 January 2007 - Reading 6-0 West Ham United
1 October 2006 - West Ham United 0-1 Reading?

All-time record v Reading: W3 D2 L6

Ten-year records

West Ham United

2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted via Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (relegated to Championship)?
2009/10 Premier League 17th?
2008/09 Premier League 9th?
2007/08 Premier League 10th?
2006/07 Premier League 15th?
2005/06 Premier League 9th?
2004/05 Championship 6th (promoted to Premier League via Play-Offs)?
2003/04 Division One 4th?
2002/03 Premier League 18th (relegated to Championship)?

Reading

2011/12 Championship 1st (Promoted to Premier League)
2010/11 Championship 5th?
2009/10 Championship 9th?
2008/09 Championship 4th?
2007/08 Premier League 18th (relegated to Championship)?
2006/07 Premier League 8th?
2005/06 Championship 1st (promoted to Premier League)?
2004/05 Championship 7th?
2003/04 Division One 9th?
2002/03 Division One 4th?

Referee

• Saturday's referee will be Michael Oliver.

• Oliver was introduced to refereeing by his father, Clive, at the age of 14. He quickly rose through the ranks and was promoted to the National List of referees in 2007.

• In 2007 he became the youngest referee to officiate at Wembley Stadium when he took charge of the 2007 Conference play-off final. He also went on to become the youngest fourth official for a Barclays Premier League match.

• The Oliver family enjoyed a referring double in 2009 when his father took charge of the 2009 League Two play-off final a day before he took charge of the League One play-off final.

• In August 2010 he was promoted to the Select Group of referees and soon became the youngest-ever Barclays Premier League referee when he took charge of Birmingham City v Blackburn Rovers on 21 August 2010.

• Oliver will be assisted by Simon Bennett and Mark Scholes, the fourth official will be Paul Tierney.

General Information

• For ticket information please click here. Please note all away tickets for the game have now SOLD OUT.

• Saturday's weather forecast is for a sunny day with maximum temperatures reaching 9C.