Reading’s Adkins has the blueprints to pinch points from Southampton

Nigel Adkins returns the club that so unceremoniously dismissed him earlier in the campaign, hoping to mastermind a return to form for his new employers who are 9/4 to defeat Southampton, with the Saints 6/5 for victory and the draw 12/5.

On the face of it the Reading outfit he inherited from Brian McDermott are on a form landslide, losing their last seven outings, but five of those defeats took place away from home where the Royals have registered just a single victory this term.

At the Madjeski Reading have lost just five of their 15 games, with three of those defeats against Tottenham, Man United and Arsenal – reason enough to consider the 4/6 about the hosts in Coral’s double chance market and with Adkins facing a team he built they’ll have a hotline to any perceived chinks in Southampton’s armour.

Southampton have continued the renaissance Adkins started under new broom Mauricio Pochettino, but it’s their home form that has given their league position that healthy glow – they’ve won just three league road games all season.

Despite this, beating them has been tricky, with just two losses in their last nine fixtures away from St Mary’s.

Just twice since the turn of the year have Reading been denied a goal and with the Saints conceding in all but one of their last eight games, both teams scoring – available at 4/7 with Coral –  seems likely.

In recent games Southampton have enjoyed wins against some the league’s bigger names, but they have reserved less care and attention for the lesser lights, tossing a defeat to QPR and a goalless draw with Norwich in with their recent trio of upset wins against Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea.

With 13 of the 14 games Reading have been involved with this year yielding over 2.5 goals multiple scores can be expected and Southampton, having seen five of their last seven scores end above the same mark. Over 2.5 goals is 4/6 with Coral.