West Brom vs Reading

Midfield general Okay Yokuslu insists Albion have not ruled out a push for automatic promotion.

“I said this before, we know what we need to do, offensively and in an attacking sense. “At the same time we know the season is very long. Everyone is performing very well at the moment. “We are such a nice group here, quality players. “Yes to be honest we look at the table, I cannot lie!” Yokuslu admitted. They are currently 15 points adrift of the top two.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Reading's first Championship game of 2023 against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

Follow our blog here for all the pre-match build-up, team news and match updates. The fixture is a co-broadcast on RoyalsTV and Sky Sports Red Button. Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Championship match between West Brom and Reading at The Hawthorns. [the full Reading squad available ](https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/reading-fc-squad-west-brom-25873753)for the game. [Royals](https://www.getreading.co.uk/all-about/reading-fc) go into their trip to The Hawthorns off the back of drawing 1-1 with Norwich City on Friday but are set to miss four players for their meeting with the Baggies. The odds for the game,

Visitors Reading FC, on the other hand, are a point above the Baggies but have been inconsistent lately. After dropping at Norwich City, The Royals hope to ...

Fans outside the UK can watch it on WBA TV and RoyalsTV (subscription required). Visitors Reading FC, on the other hand, are a point above the Baggies but have been inconsistent lately. Okay Yokuslu’s double was enough for West Brom to see off Preston, as the Baggies ended the year with strong momentum.

Albion clung on, though. It's eight wins from nine - a quite incredible return considering Albion's previous plight - and the perfect way to kick off 2023.

As strong a hand as Lumley produced to deny him, he really should have put Albion in front when bursting into the box to meet Swift's lay-off. Asked questions with his corners and almost set up Dike with a beautifully weighted ball over the top. Outstanding battling qualities displayed to win the ball before he then fired in an excellent cross from the right for Dike's goal. Some called for Ajayi to return to the starting XI to help deal with the aerial threat of the notorious Carroll, but Pieters was dominant in the first half. A crucial cog in this Corberan machine, so good to watch when he plays like this - which has been a lot, recently. Connected with a header which smashed the post and then tested Lumley from range. Receiving the ball back from Dara O'Shea on the right, he then delivered a superb ball across the face of goal which Dike glanced past Lumley and into the far corner - his first competitive Hawthorns goal. Tried to replicate his form in front of goal early, but dragged his chance wide. Plenty of enthusiasm to get forward and made a couple of really important challenges. Dike, who worked very hard throughout, is still not in his absolute sharpest form in front of goal and he passed up a sound opening from Matt Phillips' inviting centre from the left. Won plenty of headers on that front and completed some decent passes out from the back. Only significant first half moment was a crucial save to deny Hoilett at the back post, who'd met Meite's low cross from the left.