Opta Big Match Stats: United to mount Royal comeback

Javier Hernandez has been in fine goal-scoring fettle

Using the latest Opta stats, Christian Crowther picks out three Saturday punts as Reading entertain Manchester United...

Reading have kept the joint-fewest clean sheets in this season's Premier League
Brian McDermott will be ruing lost opportunities to gain points from two of the more comely fixtures in the Premier League calendar against Wigan and then Aston Villa. The reality is that his Royals team are just too generous in giving away goals, as three in a little over 30 minutes against the Latics highlighted. Next up is this teatime treat against Manchester United, who are not famed for their mercy towards the league's more downtrodden members. Aside from their unforeseeable blip at Carrow Road a few weeks back and the opening day defeat at Everton, United have saved some of their most destructive work for the road. From their five other away league fixtures, they have averaged 2.8 goals per game.

Manchester United have recovered more points from losing positions than any other team in this season's Premier League (18)
You'd imagine Reading's gameplan will be to attack from the first whistle, as frankly they do not possess the defensive personnel to attempt sitting back and hoping to nick something on the counter. As we saw against Arsenal in the Capital One Cup, they are capable of mounting dangerous assaults, stunning the Gunners with four blows before half-time in that game. The Royals will be aware of United's fallibility in conceding the first goal as we have seen on nine occasions this year and will hope to make early inroads. Given the visitors clean sheet against West Ham was their first in ten games, the possibility of a Reading goal is higher than against previous United back lines. 

Reading have conceded a joint-divisional high 78% of their goals in the second half of games this season
Second-half capitulation doesn't arrive in more spectacular fashion than Reading's League Cup disintegration, and this aprs-oranges collapse is a theme too often repeated in the Premier League. In fact, the Berkshire outfit have conceded two or more goals in the second 45 minutes of six games, including three against Wigan, Fulham and Chelsea. Manchester United are second-half goal specialists of late too, banging in six in their last four Premier League outings. 

Recommended Bets:
Back Manchester United to score three or more goals @ 2.6213/8
Back Reading to score the first goal (next goal) @ 3.814/5
Back the second half to feature more goals @ 2.245/4