Dike and Barnsley are a wall Reading won't climb
Fifth meets sixth on Good Friday with the resumption of the Championship schedule following the international break. Both Barnsley and Reading have defied the pundits by ascending into the play-off picture, and Tykes head coach Valérien Ismaël has drawn plenty of praise for the manner in which he has gone about his business, mostly relying on a young and hungry set of players to impress. Meanwhile, Serbian manager Veljko Paunović has dubbed the clash 'the biggest game of the season', but find on this occasion that the Berkshire outfit come up short. Read our preview here:
Daryl, Daryl, Daryl!
Even in the two months he's been on loan from MLS side Orlando City, American international striker and hot prospect Daryl Dike has more than proven his worth to the South Yorkshire team, and his performances have drawn plenty of admirers from higher up the English pyramid. The 20 year old had already chipped in with five goals, and has been helped in no short measure by the enterprising, attack-minded players surrounding him. Wing-backs Callum Styles and Callum Brittain regularly contribute to the approach play, whilst Alex Mowatt's efforts from distance have more often than not found their target. The hold-up play and utility fellow forwards Carlton Morris and Cauley Woodrow offer have made Barnsley unpredictable to their opponents, and their crisp passing has often covered up their relative weaknesses at the back, both in terms of numbers and personnel.
A Royal Méïté
Naturally, a prolific striker tends to garner most of the attention, regardless of the club. Portuguese powerhouse Lucas João is enjoying his most productive term in front of goal by far, but some of the supporting cast are also have stellar campaigns. Yakou Méïté has had to endure a stop-start 2020/2021, and when he has featured, he has plundered mostly from a wide position, grabbing nine in the league. The Ivorian is also strong in the air, so can offer a good often for crosses from out on the left that make their intended target a little less easy to react to. Defensive midfield pivot Josh Laurent has also come into his own, acting in tandem with Andy Rinomhota to provide the Royals with a double shield and a springboard from which to launch counter-offensives.
Valédictorian
Both sides have lost just once in their last six, and their nearly identical form over that sequence has helped them open a gap over their would-be challengers from riding on their coattails. Whilst Barnsley aren't especially potent at Oakwell, there is a growing buzz around the town, even as Tykes fans have to look on from the comfort of their own homes as their side mount a serious tilt at getting back into the top tier. Betfair have odds of 2.25 for them to further cement their stranglehold on fifth place.
