Preview | Swansea City U21s v Reading U21s

Swansea City Under-21s are back in Professional Development League action on Friday afternoon as they host Reading at Landore Training Ground. (2pm kick-off). 

The young Swans will look to bounce back from their first defeat of 2023, which came against Queens Park Rangers last time out 

The clash will be the last game before the international break, which will see five Under-21s representing their countries, including Azeem Abdulai’s maiden Scotland Under-21s call-up.  

The Royals have drawn their last two games in the league, against Cardiff City and Watford respectively, last picking up three points in their 1-0 win over Ipswich Town in early February. 

The reverse fixture saw the Swans pick up their first away win of the season at the Select Car Leasing Stadium with goals from Wasiri Williams, Joe Thomas and Ben Lloyd  

The two sides last met at Landore Training Ground in February 2020 in the penultimate group stage game of the Premier League Cup campaign. 

Pre-match views 

Coach Anthony Wright: "We'll regroup following Queens Park Rangers, and although I was really pleased with their performance up against a strong, physical side, we've still got plenty to work on individually and collectively. 

"We're back at home on Friday which is a positive. We haven't come up against Reading too many times in recent seasons, but we had a good result up there last year."

Previous meeting - February 9, 2020

Swansea City 1 Reading 1

Swansea City Under-23s’ Premier League Cup hopes were all but over following a 1-1 draw with Reading in their penultimate group game the last time the two sides met at Landore.

The young Swans appeared on course for a much-needed victory in the Group A encounter after Cameron Evans headed them into a 16th-minute lead. A neatly-worked corner was flicked on at the near post and Evans arrived late to head home his second goal for the under-23s.

Despite a positive performance, Reading levelled nine minutes from time when Oli Pendlebury fired in.

Lewis Webb managed to get a strong punch on a dangerous cross but inadvertently sent his clearance straight to Pendlebury, who drilled home the equaliser to move Reading three points clear at the top of Group A.

Swansea City Under-23s: Lewis Webb; Trialist (Josh Edwards, ht), Cameron Evans, Ben Erickson, Matthew Blake; Oli Cooper, Daniel Williams, Tivonge Rushesha; Jordon Garrick (Joel Cotterill, 68), Arnor Gudjohnsen, Mason Jones-Thomas.

Subs not used: Jake Thomas, Will Rickard.