When and where
Gareth Taylor’s side travel to Madejski Stadium on Sunday 18 October in 2pm kick-off (UK time).
The game will be shown live via the FA Player.
You can also follow the action on our Matchday Centre or our dedicated matchday Twitter account: @ManCityWomen.
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RULES
For safety reasons in the wake of the pandemic, the fixture will be played behind-closed-doors.
In line with current protocols, additional balls will be placed at intervals around the pitch.
TEAM NEWS
Aoife Mannion, Megan Campbell and Lauren Hemp remain sidelined through injury.
WATCH: Welcome to Manchester: Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle
Manager’s preview: Gareth Taylor
“We’ve seen already a high level of competition and teams will take points off one another
“We need to keep positive and maintain focus.
“We’ll look at our performance and see where we can improve on the training pitch.”
CHECK OUT OUR 2020/21 WOMEN’S TRAINING RANGE
Opposition view: Kelly Chambers
“We know that Man City have a fantastic side.
“We know what our strengths are and we know that they have struggled against that in recent times, so it’s a case of watching them, knowing what we need to do and bring them to the Madejski and giving them a real good game and hopefully one we can get a result from.”
Last time out
City suffered an afternoon of frustration, succumbing to a first league loss of the season against Chelsea.
The reigning champions took a first half lead in controversial circumstances through Maren Mjelde’s penalty after Ellen White was adjudged to have handled the ball.
However, TV replays showing the ball had instead struck Demi Stokes below the elbow and our hopes of staging a fightback were then dealt a further blow when Sam Kerr doubled the Chelsea advantage 12 minutes into the second half.
Gareth Taylor’s side summoned up a response through Chloe Kelly’s 73rd minute penalty after Millie Bright had handled a Caroline Weir cross.
But Frank Kirby sealed the deal for the hosts by firing home 11 minutes from time.
WATCH: Chelsea v City: Match highlights
Last meeting
Pauline Bremer continued her excellent goalscoring streak, bagging her third and fourth goals of the week to hand City a 2-0 league triumph in the 2019/20 season.
The German forward netted her second brace in three days at Adams Park with a goal in either half to extend our impeccable start to the season.
WATCH: FA WSL highlights: Reading v City
Match stats
• Reading have lost more home games against City than against any other side in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League (5), also conceding more goals (16).
• The only points Reading have picked up versus City in the league have come on the road, winning 2-0 in April 2018 and drawing 1-1 in October 2018
• Reading are looking to avoid suffering back-to-back defeats on home soil for the first time since September 2019, while the Royals haven’t suffered two defeats in a row at home without scoring in the top-flight since May 2017.
• City suffered our first defeat in 11 games last time out at Chelsea (3-1), last losing back-to-back league matches in May 2018. In fact, each of our last six defeats in the top-flight have been on the road.
• Reading’s Emma Mitchell (34) has started more open play sequences following the regain of possession than any other WSL player this season, meaning she regains control of the ball from the opposition more than anyone else.
• City’s Chloe Kelly has scored more league goals against Reading (5) than any other side, netting a hat-trick against the Royals back in January for Everton. The only player in FA WSL history to net a treble in back-to-back games against the same side is Vivianne Miedema (v Bristol City) in March and December 2019).
• Karen Bardsley is currently on 99 appearances in all competitions for the City.
• Esme Morgan celebrates her 20th birthday on the day of the game.
