Premier League: Reading v Arsenal match preview

A look ahead to Monday’s Premier League fixture at the Madjeski Stadium

Theo Walcott celebrates the sixth goal for Arsenal (GETTY IMAGES)

They have only ever met on ten occasions and Reading manager Brian McDermott will be hoping the Royals’ 11th clash with Arsenal finally yields its first victory.

Both sides have stuttered since October’s extraordinary Capital One Cup contest, with Reading still in the Premier League drop zone while Arsene Wenger’s side are on a wretched run of just three wins in their last 11.

On the other hand, only three of those contests have ended in defeat and in spite of their humiliating loss to League Two Bradford last week, the Gunners are only two points adrift of the Champions League reckoning.

Reading won 15 of their last 19 games in 2011/12 but have just one league victory to their name this term, highlighting the enormity of staving off an immediate return to the Championship.

KICK-OFF: Monday, 8pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS…

Reading 5 (Roberts, Koscielny OG, Leigertwood, Hunt, Pogrebnyak)  Arsenal 7 (Walcott 3, Giroud, Koscielny, Chamakh 2) Capital One Cup, October 2012

Arsenal 2 (Adebayor, Gilberto) Reading 0, Premier League, April 2008

Reading 1 (Shorey) Arsenal 3 (Flamini, Adebayor, Hleb), Premier League, November 2007

STATS…

Reading have met Arsenal on 10 occasions in all competitions and have lost every one of them.

The Royals have lost their previous five matches.

Arsenal have conceded the lowest number of second-half goals in the top-flight this season (six) while Reading have let in the joint-highest (20).

Arsenal have scored 26 goals from 16 league games this season; their worst return since 2006/07.

Arsenal have won none of their last six away games in all competitions.

ODDS…

Reading to win: 5.6

Arsenal to win: 1.71

Draw: 4.1

CLASSIC MATCH

It can only be one match, can’t it?

From 0-4 down after 44 minutes, Arsenal pulled off the greatest League Cup comeback to defeat Reading 7-5 at the Madjeski Stadium.

TV: Live on Sky Sports 1 at 8pm.