Reading a great relegation bet after yet another bottle job

Reading’s squandering of a two-goal lead at the Liberty Stadium has left them winless after seven with only QPR having picked up fewer points than the Royals.

Ladbrokes have marked them down as 4/5 second-favourites for the drop, though there is very little to separate them from Norwich and Southampton in the bookies’ eyes.

Brian McDermott’s men’s inability to get the result from such a commanding position will have done any amount of damage to their morale, despite the fact that they would have taken a point from this fixture prior to kick-off.

It was the third time this season they’ve blown points from winning positions and this perceived lack of nerve, or lack of defensive acumen to close games out, or combination of both will cost them dear in the long run.

They have two tough games to come before making the trip to QPR for what’s already shaping up to be a relegation battle.

Liverpool away is next for Reading and, given the way the Reds are playing, getting a result of sorts is not beyond the realms of plausibility, but they will still be expected to lose on Merseyside. They entertain Fulham before heading to Loftus Road and this is far from a home banker, as the west Londoners have seemingly improved perennial shoddiness on the road this term.

The lack of character shown in the draw at Swansea must improve if they are to get something from these games, especially the third and, unless they can stick some wins on the board quickly, they will soon be entering dare-not-lose territory.

Should they fail to achieve a win in these games, and all recent evidence suggests that they won’t, their very decent looking current price will shrivel up into a nailed-on banker. Relegation punters should lump on now while the getting is good.

All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date