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Languishing eight points from safety at the foot of the table with six games remaining. It’s now become a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’ Reading will drop back into the Championship next season. Even new boss Nigel Adkins offered a tenuous acceptance to the fate that so inevitably awaits his side, acknowledging that he is already planning ahead for the next campaign. That being said Adkins hasn’t yet accepted defeat in the battle to beat the drop and is remaining positive in the face of adversity even after seven straight league defeats  – the latest coming at home to former club Southampton – and one short of the Premier League record. Anything but a win this weekend would doom the Royals to England’s second tier although it’s difficult to see a victory being anything but a short stay of execution.

Liverpool make the trip South still in with a shout of European qualification after four wins in their last half dozen league games. In fact the Reds are six points better off than they were at this stage last season and have found themselves on an upward trajectory since the New Year. It all goes to illustrate the improvements made under the watchful eye of Brendan Rodgers in his first season as Anfield boss. Extracting the best from top scorer Luis Suarez will stand as one of the Northern Irishman’s many achievements this season although that will ultimately be trumped if he can lead the club back into Europe with a top-six finish. Merseyside rivals Everton are currently blocking them on that path and hold a three-point advantage with a game in hand.

Team News

Stewart Downing is available for Liverpool after taking ill during last weeks draw with West Ham in which he was substituted before half time. Raheem Sterling (thigh) has been ruled out meaning Brendan Rodgers has no fresh injury concerns.

Reading will be without Jimmy Kebe (groin) while fellow midfielder Hope Apkan (ankle) is a major doubt.

What the managers said…

“Every team is planning for next season and will have plans for whatever division they’re in. I’ve got an opportunity to assess the playing staff and we’ve got to keep doing that and working hard to build on the success we’ve had before at Reading. We had an idea of what we had before we got here. We’ve got a blank piece of paper and a fresh challenge.” Nigel Adkins admits he already has an eye on next season (Daily Mirror)

“As a club, we want to be in there. We really enjoyed the European football this season (in the Europa League) after it had been missing for a year and I know the supporters love the travel,” Rodgers said. But you could argue that a season free of European football would give us a greater chance of finishing in a much higher position in the league.” Brendan Rodgers believes missing out on Europe might benefit Liverpool (Telegraph Sport)

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Pre-Match Statistic: Reading have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last nine meetings with Liverpool in all competitions.

Prediction: Reading 1-3 Liverpool

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Arsenal fans coped with the disappointment of losing Alexis Sanchez in the January window by celebrating the news of Mesut Ozil’s new contract.

The German World Cup winner penned a deal that would keep him at the North London outfit until 2021.

Throughout his five years at the Emirates, the midfielder has received mixed reviews for his performances.

Many times, the 29-year-old has been accused of going missing in big matches, but he has also been influential in certain games this season.

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On Thursday, Ozil was named in Arsene Wenger’s starting XI for the team’s Europa League quarter-final second leg against CSKA Moscow in Russia.

The Gunners almost suffered a scare when the hosts went 2-0 up, but goals from Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey gave the team a 6-3 aggregate win.

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Ozil has created 12 assists in all competitions for Arsenal this season, but he was unable to contribute on Thursday night, which left some fans frustrated with his performance.

Others, though, were satisfied with the 29-year-old’s display.

Since joining United in January 2014 for what at the time was a club record fee hitting a cool £37.1 million, Juan Mata has failed to find a permanent place in the struggling squad. Some have called for him to be moved on or even used as a super sub but in my opinion, Mata should be dropping United – not the other way around.

When Mata joined in the winter transfer window of 2014, United lucked out. They were going through a tricky season under then manager David Moyes and were in desperate need of a player with his attributes. Enter twice Chelsea player of the year and World Cup winner Juan Mata. Praised for his ability to create space and opportunities for his forwards, Mata was a prized asset for any team.

Unless of course that team is managed by the Special One, Jose Mourinho. Obsessed with changing the forward thinking player into one that was willing to expel his energy on tracking back, Mata found himself more often sidelined than not.

Surely a player who had produced so many assists, was cherished by supporters and was part of Chelsea’s first ever Champions League winning squad deserved better than just a space on the bench. At Chelsea or Manchester United.

In his two happy years at Chelsea, Mata was their driving force creating 25 assists and 197 chances. But under Mourinho, Moyes and now current manager Louis van Gaal in almost the same time frame, Mata’s stat’s have dropped considerably to only nine assists with 92 chances created.

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So who is to blame? I don’t believe Mata is at fault. He rarely makes a starting eleven which is important to help a player not only get used to the team tactics but also to keep them match ready. Under Moyes, Mata was given more opportunities which in turn led to him scoring six league goals in his final six matches of last season proving that a run of games is everything to a player.

But unfortunately van Gaal refuses to allow the player to play in his traditional number 10 role, opting instead to use Wayne Rooney as the playmaker and others as out-and-out strikers. And while United sit in fourth with ten games to go, their performances have been highly unconvincing, leading to top players like Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao bearing the brunt of supporters’ criticisms.

I do hope United can find a way to properly integrate Juan Mata into their regular starting eleven as when he is at his best, he truly can be the difference between winning the Premier League and not even making top four. Such is the player’s vision and high level of football intelligence but he has to have the support of his manager. 

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Fortunately, if worst comes to worst, Mata will always be able to find himself a club willing to give him a chance. He has too much experience, won too many trophies and let’s be honest, he is better than many players that play his position.

I just hope United realise his value before it is too late.

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How times change. When Queens Park Rangers and Swansea City were promoted to the Premier League in the early summer of 2011, it was widely predicted that while Rangers would become a permanent fixture at the top table, Swansea would almost certainly suffer the indignity of a quick-fire return.

Fast forward 23 months and the script has been rewritten to such an extent that the original draft is virtually unrecognisable. Two goals from Michu, one from Angel Rangel and another from Pablo Hernandez at the Liberty Stadium two weeks ago not only took Swansea into seventh place (they are now eighth), but left Rangers facing the near impossible task of retaining their Premier League status.

With only days remaining before the Swans make the trip to Wembley to face Bradford City in the Capital One Cup final, we take a look at three players to keep an eye on as we approach the big day.

Michu –  The Spanish attacking midfielder/striker signed from Rayo Vallecano for £2m last summer has arguably turned out to be the buy of the season, as he already sits on 13 league goals and 16 goals overall. His form has inspired Swansea City to their first domestic cup final in their 100-year existence, and they currently sit comfortably at 8th in the Premier League table.

Michu is a true predatory striker who always finds the perfect finish. His strike against Chelsea embodied everything that is right about his play – as Jonathan de Guzman found the Spaniard on the edge of the box, he proceeded to curl the ball with aplomb past Petr Cech and into the net. A truly wonderful finish and a warning to other teams that this player cannot be given any space in or around the box. His finishing combined with Swansea’s penetrative passing style make for a very dangerous combination.

Ashley Williams – The Welsh international captain Ashley Williams has been at Swansea City since 2008 and has seen them promoted twice since joining from Stockport County for a fee of around £400,000. His defensive instincts have proved vital to Swansea’s surge over recent years and they would not be enjoying such a successful season, as they sit 8th in the Premier League table and have reached their first domestic cup final ever, were it not for Williams’ experience.

He’s a classic British defender, not afraid to put his body on the line and get physical if necessary. His time at Swansea has seen his game develop beyond defensive responsibilities, however, as he often surges forward and helps link-up play and pick out incisive passes. It’s not just his strength that makes him a formidable defender, however, as his reading of the game and positional play are second to none.

Wayne Routledge – It’s tough to choose just one Swansea midfielder to place on this list, as there are numerous who have had a fantastic season. The likes of Nathan Dyer, Jonathan De Guzman and Pablo Hernandez have been in inspired form, but Wayne Routledge has really stepped up this season. The Englishman joined from Newcastle for an undisclosed fee in August 2011 and has really developed his game during his time at the Welsh club. Traditionally a winger, his time at Swansea has seen him play in the centre of the park more, and as a consequence, his game has flourished.

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Against Queens Park Rangers, Routledge played through the centre with Dyer and Hernandez on the wings, and the QPR defence just couldn’t cope with their quick penetrative passing and switching of positions. Routledge has already scored 5 league goals this season and poses a real threat in front of goal. His adaptability in midfield provides Swansea with a plethora of options, and the ability to switch tactics and formations on the fly.

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Sky Sports pundit Matt Le Tissier has claimed that Toby Alderweireld is a cut above his teammate Davinson Sanchez.

Plenty of the fans’ focus has been on Alderweireld’s contract situation given that he is yet to sign fresh terms at the North London outfit.

However, the centre-back has barely spent any time on the pitch since November due to injury problems.

After suffering the blow against Real Madrid in the Champions League, the Belgian spent almost three months on the treatment table.

The 29-year-old returned to Mauricio Pochettino’s side in February, but only for two fixtures, both of which were in the FA Cup.

Alderweireld has been working on his fitness behind the scenes, but Sanchez has also been keeping his teammate out of the XI.

The 21-year-old joined Spurs from Ajax last summer and has gone on to start 23 Premier League games and eight in the Champions League.

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Ahead of Sunday’s showdown against Chelsea, though, pundit Le Tissier selected Alderweireld to partner Jan Vertonghen at the back of a combined XI for Sky Sports.

“I’m going for the Belgian centre-back pairing of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, who is on a different level to Davinson Sanchez. I think it would be a big blow if Tottenham fail to keep hold of Toby.”

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Ask any Arsenal fan what the club’s priority should be in the summer transfer window, and the answer will likely be ‘a holding midfielder’ – to many, Arsene Wenger’s eternal blind spot in the transfer market, where make-shift options such as Mikel Arteta, Abou Diaby, Mathieu Flamini and most recently, Francis Coquelin, have been preferred to the more costly, more conventional play-breakers attainable from other clubs.

The problem eternally plaguing the Gunners however, is that they’re obliged to be more stubborn than most when adding to the midfield – particularly in deep-lying roles. The need for some physical variety in the engine room is obvious – currently, Aaron Ramsey and Diaby are the only midfielders that measure at above six foot – whilst the defensive capabilities of a tried and trusted anchorman would accommodate for the creative licence Arsenal’s more offensive midfielders have become accustomed too.

Yet, a beastly juggernaut like Marouane Fellaini, Mile Jedinak, Victor Wanyama or William Carvalho would look disastrously cumbersome in a midfield where silky skills and technically-demanding build-up play reigns supreme. At least the academy products, although lacking the more familiar characteristics of defensive mids, are well-versed in the Arsenal philosophy.

In other words, physically imposing midfield generals that don’t juxtapose Arsenal’s definitive brand of creative, expansive football – 6 foot 4 monoliths blessed with the technical quality and composure participate in Gunners’ passing game without slowing it down or conceding possession – are an exceptionally rare breed.

One might look at Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic, Manchester City’s Yaya Toure or Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets, but these are amongst the best in their trade; even if Arsenal hypothetically had the money to sign them, convincing top stars to leave top clubs is a gargantuan task within itself – especially for a club that’s won just a single trophy in the last decade, and never claimed a Champions League title.

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Indeed, unless Arsene Wenger plans on rebuilding Arsenal’s philosophy from the ground up, he can only settle for the perfect candidate to anchor his midfield – someone not only blessed with an eclectic blend of defensive awareness, height, strength and quality on the ball, all at Premier League title-contending standard, but perhaps most importantly, feasibly within the north London club’s reach this summer.

One defensive midfielder that might just embody all of those requirements however, is Bayern Munich’s Javi Martinez – a bullish, brazen, 6 foot 3 battering ram, also capable of playing at centre-back, boasting all the technical mastery one would expect from a regular Spain international plying his domestic trade under tiki-taka specialist Pep Guardiola.

The 26 year-old is no Xavi or Pirlo, but for a player of his imposing frame and bellicose nature, a pass completion rate of 89% over the last two campaigns, jumping up to 93% in the Champions League, with a forward pass bias of 80%, is certainly nothing to be sniffed at, especially when combined with averages of two tackles, 1.8 interceptions and 3.4 successful aerial duels per match.

Likewise, although holding position remains Martinez’ predominant job, it’s by no means his only mode of play; during his time at Athletic Bilbao and inaugural season with Bayern, the Spaniard made bullish runs forward one his trademarks, regularly fighting, wrestling and contesting his way up field – in a not too dissimilar fashion to Chelsea’s Diego Costa – to produce a healthy supply of goals; 25 in 240 for the Basque outfit, three in 43 during his first campaign at the Allianz Arena.

That diverse dynamism could serve Arsenal equally well in defence and attack, but perhaps most importantly of all, Martinez represents the size and calibre of player capable of competing effectively with Chelsea’s Matic and City’s Toure. In my opinion, this has been the ultimate difference between Arsenal and the Premier League’s table-toppers over the last few season – the glass ceiling that perpetually limits positive results against the title contenders.

You might be wondering why Bayern Munich would be prepared to part with such a player – as I’ve billed him, a domineering battler of brawn and skill, adept enough aerially and defensively to even play at centre-back – and officially, they aren’t.

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But Martinez has never quite captured Guardiola’s imagination in the same way as predecessor Jupp Heynckes, making nine appearances less than the campaign prior under the former Barcelona boss in 2013/14. He’s yet to feature this season due to a long-term injury, but that convinced Guardiolo to sign both Xabi Alonso and Medhi Benatia towards the end of the summer window, two coveted names Martinez will struggle to reclaim his place in the starting Xi from. From playing a pivotal role in the Bavarians’ 2013 Champions League title campaign, he’s now being pushed to the peripheries of the squad.

In my opinion, that gives Arsenal a way in – albeit, an exceptionally expensive one, having originally cost Bayern an eye-watering €40million. Yet, for what Arsenal desperately require in their midfield, the unique demands aforementioned, and the positive effect Martinez could potentially have on them, breeding a new sense of balance into an otherwise attacking-centric starting XI, any price can quickly become a justifiable one if it paves the way for titles and silverware.

Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin, Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira or Sporting Lisbon’s Cavalho are perhaps cheaper options, but the Bayern Munich star remains the real McCoy. Add him to Arsenal’s starting XI, and suddenly they’re a very different, far more formidable proposition.

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Vegard Forren has revealed that Ole Gunnar Solksjaer was the one that told him to reject Liverpool in favour of a move to Southampton, the Mirror reports.

The Norwegian international joined the Saints in a £4million from SK Molde nearly a fortnight ago on the same day that Mauricio Pochettino replaced Nigel Adkins as manager at St Mary’s.

But 24-year-old Forren confessed that it was Manchester United legend Solksjaer, his former boss at the Aker Stadion, who compelled him to resist the overtures of a trial at Liverpool and opt for a permanent transfer to the south Coast instead.

“I never came close to joining Liverpool because Southampton felt right for me,” he said.

“There was a lot of interest from the Premier League but after coming here and speaking with the chairman I really felt wanted.

“Ole was very supportive of the move and I spoke with him a lot before coming here. He really wanted me to take this opportunity.”

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Forren looks set to make his Premier League bow against the Red Devils when Southampton travel to Old Trafford on Wednesday night and will hope to improve a defence that has shipped 37 goals in 23 games this season.

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New Southampton manager Mark Hughes is reportedly lining up a club-record £20m move for Stoke City playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri this summer if he keeps them in the Premier League and extends his stay at St Mary’s, and Saints fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.The Daily Star says that the Welsh boss is keen to be reunited with the 26-year-old, who earns £65,000-a-week according to The Mirror, after he brought him to the Britannia Stadium from Inter Milan in 2015, with the Switzerland international scoring seven goals and providing a further six assists in 29 top flight appearances for the south coast outfit’s fellow strugglers this term.Any prospective deal would be dependent on Saints securing avoiding relegation to the Championship – they currently lie two points from safety with eight games remaining – while Hughes’ future is also far from certain considering his deal is due to expire at the climax of the campaign.Southampton supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the story, and while one described him as the “Alpine Messi”, another said “he’s the only player worth having from that team”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…[ad_pod ]

When Tony Pulis left his managerial post at Selhurst Park just 48 hours before the start of the season, Crystal Palace were always going to find it difficult to find the right replacement for a man who saved Palace from relegation the season before.

Step in Neil Warnock, a man who previously managed at Crystal Palace before being sacked in 2010. He was not the favourite to take the reins at the Selhurst Park and many thought the club were taking a backwards step in hiring a former manager. His reign at the club didn’t last very long, however.

A number of poor results meant that Warnock became the first managerial casualty of the 2014/15 season. Despite an excellent 3-1 victory against Liverpool earlier in the season, recent results have not been up to scratch and Palace now found themselves looking for another new manager to lead them away from relegation struggles.

Here are five managers that could replace Warnock…

Alan Pardew

The Newcastle United manager has experienced a variety of emotions this season. The Magpies’ start to the season was not a particularly successful one and Pardew was under a huge amount of pressure from the Newcastle faithful. However, the former Southampton manager turned his side’s fortunes around and victory against Chelsea, the only loss for the Blues this season, resulted in Newcastle rising up the table and away from danger.

The lure of managing a club that Pardew knows very well will certainly interest the 53-year-old but leaving Newcastle for a team battling relegation may be an unnecessary gamble. Pardew prompted speculation linking him with the Palace job after he refused to talk to the media following Newcastle’s victory against Everton.

If Pardew does take charge of Palace, it will represent a bit of a coup for the South London club but they will have to pay a hefty amount of compensation if they are to buy Pardew out of the last five and a half years remaining in his Newcastle contract.

Tim Sherwood

The former Tottenham Hotspur manager gained a lot of fans with his no-nonsense, bullish approach to management in what was a successful but short reign at White Hart Lane. His approach would certainly spur the Crystal Palace players into life and there is no doubt that Sherwood can get the best out of his players.

Another advantage is that Sherwood will not feel pressured to play the club’s star names. Instead, he is very much a man of principle who will choose players that are performing well in training rather than consistently playing the same team that may be struggling to achieve results. Although Sherwood does look like an attractive proposition for Palace, his lack of managerial experience may prompt the club to look elsewhere.

However, if Sherwood is appointed, it would be a popular decision amongst the Selhurst Park faithful.

Chris Hughton

The former Newcastle manager has been out of a job since he was sacked by Norwich City in April 2014 and has rejected the prospect of returning to management in an assistant managerial role since then. Although he may not be the first choice to succeed Warnock as the next Palace manager, he is a viable option for the board as he won’t cost a lot of money to hire due to the fact that he is not working in management at the moment.

Although Hughton has been sacked from Premier League posts with Newcastle United and Norwich City, he does have a lot of top flight experience both as a manager but as a coach as well. He has proved popular amongst playing staff throughout his managerial campaign and this may benefit the players who are struggling with confidence at the moment.

Tony Popovic

The former Selhurst Park favourite played for the club for five years between 2001 and 2006. He currently plies his trade in Australia, where he has impressed since being in charge of Australian side Western Sydney Warriors. He has recently won the Asian Champions League and is now looking to develop his managerial career further in Europe.

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Palace chairman Steve Parish is understood to be a big admirer of the 41-year-old. However, throwing Popovic in the deep end could backfire as the Australian lacks any managerial experience in the Premier League. His appointment would be a risk, contrasting to the rather unambitious appointment of Warnock earlier in the season. Many Palace fans will believe that there are better options for the club in terms of achieving Premier League survival.

Keith Millen

He is currently undertaking his third spell as caretaker manager of Crystal Palace and has personally stated that he is ready to take the top job at Selhurst Park. Millen will be desperate to become manger of his hometown club having been in the shadows of many Crystal Palace managers who have failed to bring success to the Eagles in recent seasons.

It is understandable that Millen feels he is ready to become manager of the club he has served for so long. In his eight games as caretaker manager of Crystal Palace, he has registered two wins, two draws and four losses. However, this doesn’t reveal a lot about how Millen will plan to take the club forward and whether he can turn Palace’s season around. Again, it is a decision that could backfire and the Parish needs to make the right decision if his club are to avoid the drop.

I really don’t want to suggest that Newcastle’s decision to hand Alan Pardew an eight-year contract was a bad move; I think clubs should look to similar contracts more often as a means to secure their most valuable personnel. Those who then look to Mike Ashley as having made a mistake also seem to be out of touch with the game. It assumes that no manager can go through a bad spell. It assumes that all the pieces fall into place without any problems. It assumes that a hugely impressive performance the season prior will always or should always be followed by something equally impressive.

I don’t believe Pardew to be a bad manager and I don’t believe he’s doing a bad job at the moment. Yes it’s a disappointment that Newcastle look miles away from landing another Europa League spot and building on what they did last season, but where’s the nod to the circumstances the manager is working in?

He, like Mike Ashley, always knew Demba Ba was going to leave at some stage. With his scoring form and the irresistible buyout clause inserted into his contract, there was no way Newcastle would be able to keep him away from clubs higher up the league table.

But the loss of Ba hasn’t been the biggest blow to the club. Going through much of the campaign thus far without Yohan Cabaye is a crippling effect that would be felt by any club. Goal scorers are as important as anything, as is a good and confident goalkeeper. But holding it all together is the midfielder, the player with the quality of Cabaye. Maybe for a short while we saw Tottenham feel the effects of losing Luka Modric. Arsenal looked all over the place following Cesc Fabregas’ departure. How many times will people look to the need for Manchester United to properly address their midfield and find a replacement for Paul Scholes?

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Adding to that, Hatem Ben Arfa, another one of Pardew’s most important players, has been in and out with injury. The squad have been ravaged, purchases such as Vurnon Anita haven’t done enough to make noticeable or equal contributions such as that of Cabaye and Cheick Tiote last season. And now with a forward line that looks very light, Mike Ashley really needs to start backing up that contract extension which has had everyone talking.

Alan Pardew recently said that Newcastle were not too good to go down. It was a response, of course, to many who suggest that the team were good enough to fight off the threat of relegation. But it was, more than anything, a message to the owner. This team need reinforcements in a big way, and like the hopeful arrival of the cavalry, Mike Ashley needs to charge through the door with a new attitude.

Making do is not good enough when expectations were raised so high after last season. Sitting by and accepting that the club can’t compete with those who are better off financially isn’t good enough. Isn’t that why Graham Carr was given an equally lengthy contract extension to that of Pardew? Selling clubs will catch onto the success Newcastle had in the market in previous windows, but it doesn’t hide the fact that there continue to be excellent bargains hidden away in corners and underneath rocks for clubs like Newcastle to exploit.

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If Loic Remy has been identified by the club as a player good enough to come in and replace Demba Ba then Ashley has to roll the dice. What sort of message does it send? For starters, it says that the club are willing to go all out to put the season right. Loic Remy has been linked with Arsenal and Tottenham in the past, the latter for a noticeably long time. If Newcastle can complete that transfer then it says the club are competing with the clubs who hold a higher status in the Premier League. It says that Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba and Hatem Ben Arfa wasn’t a one-off, a fluke. It says that this is our aim, these are our targets and we’re looking to follow through on them.

Newcastle needed stability and they’ve been given that by a manager who knows English football well. Mathieu Debuchy is an excellent start to the new year, a player who is rated by many as the best right-back for France and the best in Ligue 1 for the past few seasons. But more is needed. Mike Ashley needs to show the fans and his manager that there is ambition and desire to go along with that contract.