Reading will attempt to claim a Premier League scalp when they welcome Brentford to the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Tuesday evening in the EFL Cup third round.

The Royals have already eliminated Bromley and Stevenage to reach this stage, while Keith Andrews’s unbeaten Brentford side arrive having demolished Birmingham City in the previous round.

Analysis

Reading

Reading’s encouraging run came to an end at the weekend, but Liam Richardson will have seen enough in the performance to believe his side can make Brentford work for their place in the next round.

The Royals went into Saturday’s meeting with Cambridge United unbeaten in five matches and initially looked capable of extending that sequence when Jack Marriott gave them the lead.

Instead, second-half goals from Liam Bennett and Kell Watts turned the contest around and condemned Reading to a 2-1 defeat.

Richardson was particularly frustrated by the nature of the goals conceded, but the attacking numbers provided some encouragement. Reading registered 19 attempts and created enough opportunities to have taken something from the game.

Producing chances against Brentford will inevitably be a different proposition, but Reading have already demonstrated their ability to negotiate knockout football this season.

Bromley were dispatched in the first round before the Royals overcame Stevenage to earn Tuesday’s attractive home tie. Richardson has used the competition to rotate his squad, and that policy is likely to continue despite the significant step up in opposition.

Jacob Brown is a candidate to replace Marriott through the middle, while Liam Fraser and Charlie Savage could be brought into central midfield.

Randell Williams and Daniel Kyerewaa are also pushing for starts in the wide areas as Richardson attempts to balance the opportunity of reaching the fourth round with Reading’s league commitments.

The hosts will need to be far more disciplined defensively than they were against Cambridge. Brentford possess enough pace and Premier League quality to punish mistakes ruthlessly, even if Andrews makes extensive changes.

However, Reading have home advantage and little pressure on them. If they can stay in the contest during the opening stages, the atmosphere could help turn this into a much less comfortable evening for the visitors than the difference in league status suggests.

Brentford

Brentford’s unbeaten beginning to 2026-27 has been impressive, even if three successive draws have taken some of the shine off their explosive opening.

The Bees began their Premier League campaign by beating Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 before producing an even more emphatic performance in this competition, thrashing Birmingham City 6-1.

Since then, however, Andrews’s team have been unable to convert competitive performances into victories. Their latest draw came at Bournemouth on Saturday, where Kevin Schade scored twice in a 2-2 result at the Vitality Stadium. Andrews was dissatisfied with aspects of the display, particularly Brentford’s attacking conviction, but remaining unbeaten across all competitions represents an encouraging foundation.

Tuesday provides an opportunity to rediscover the winning habit. Brentford are expected to rotate heavily, but their squad depth means that Reading will still face a side containing substantial top-flight experience.

Callum Wilson is in contention to replace Igor Thiago as the central striker, while Dango Ouattara and Fabio Carvalho could be introduced to the attacking unit.

Rico Henry is another player pushing for a start and should provide considerable threat from full-back if selected. The previous round demonstrated the danger of Brentford’s second string. Scoring six against Championship opposition in Birmingham was an emphatic reminder that Andrews can make significant alterations without stripping his team of attacking quality.

History between Tuesday’s opponents also favours the visitors. Brentford have won each of the last four meetings with Reading, although the clubs have not faced each other since 2021.

The Bees will therefore arrive as clear favourites, but the challenge is to approach the occasion with the necessary intensity. Reading have already won twice in the competition and have nothing to lose against Premier League opposition.

Verdict

Reading’s defeat to Cambridge should not completely overshadow what had been an encouraging five-match unbeaten sequence, and their 19 attempts on Saturday suggest that Richardson’s side are capable of causing problems going forward.

The difficulty will be keeping Brentford out at the other end. Even after substantial rotation, the visitors could field an attack featuring players such as Wilson, Ouattara and Carvalho. That represents a significant increase in quality from the opposition Reading ordinarily encounter.

Brentford may need some time to impose themselves against motivated hosts, but their greater depth should eventually tell.

Our prediction: Reading 1-3 Brentford.

Tip

Our tip: Brentford to win.