Preview | Reading v Swansea City
Swansea City open their Carabao Cup campaign this evening as they face fellow Championship side Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Both teams will be looking for their first win of the new season after each tasted defeat in their opening league games on the weekend.
Reading twice came from behind against Stoke City, but went on to lose 3-2, while the Swansea were defeated by Blackburn Rovers away from home in Russell Martin's first game in charge.
The Swans will be looking to improve on their showing in this competition last year after losing in the first round to Newport County, while Reading made it one step further, losing to Luton Town in the second round in their 2020-21 campaign.
History is on Swansea’s side in this matchup; Reading haven’t beaten the Jacks in any competition since the 2008-09 season, when they put four past Swansea to climb to third in the Championship table.
In the 15 matches since then, Swansea came away with eight wins, which is a streak that the side will be looking to extend tonight and ensure Martin picks up a first win in club colours in a competition the club famously won in 2013.
Team news
Summer arrival Liam Walsh is expected to miss out due to the hamstring injury he picked up in the pre-season friendly against Southampton.
Midfielder Korey Smith limped off early in the second half against Blackburn and looks set to be absent with Martin hoping his calf problem is not a serious one.
Jay Fulton will be absent for the Swans as he serves the first game of a three-match suspension following his red card in last season’s play-off final.
Meanwhile,Joel Piroe is looking to be involved in his first competitive game for the Swans tonight, after missing out on the trip to Ewood Park.
Pre-match views
Russell Martin: “It’s another chance to practise some of the stuff that we want to do.
“Hopefully, they took enough belief from some of the moments they had in the game against Blackburn to take on to Tuesday.
“The quicker we get the first win, the better for everyone. It builds belief in the group.
“We’re going to go there to try to win, we’re going to go everywhere and try and win.”
John Swift: "We’ve got a thin squad, but we’ll go into the cup game (vs Swansea) wanting to win it, we want to have a good cup run and everyone wants to play as many games as we can.
"That said, three points in the league is massive, so we need to play the Swansea game, and then go into next Saturday in front of fans and put on a performance."
Remember the last time?
Swansea City’s last meeting with Reading at the Madejski Stadium saw the visitors secure a play-off spot at the same venue for the second season running.
Yakou Méïté opened the scoring in the 30th minute with a cool header, but the Swans responded well in the second half; goals from Jamal Lowe and Andre Ayew putting Steve Cooper's side ahead with seven minutes remaining.
Tomás Esteves, however, had other plans, equalising in the 93rd minute to rescue a point for the hosts, but it was not enough to prevent the Swans guaranteeing themselves a top-six finish.
Prime Numbers
15 – Swansea have gone 15 consecutive games without losing to Reading, a streak stretching all the way back to 2008.
71 – The Swans enjoyed 71% of possession in their opening league fixture against Blackburn on the weekend, which is a higher percentage than the side managed in any fixture last season.
