Rely on Reading for an upset

Reading look overpriced at a general 3-1 to win away to West Ham United  on Boxing Day - a match being shown live on Sky Sports 1 (start 1pm).

Steve Coppell’s men needed a controversial last-gasp strike by Stephen Hunt to beat Sunderland last Saturday but, after dominating that match for lengthy periods, it would have been an injustice had they not picked up three points.

Victory extended Reading’s unbeaten run to four matches, with a notable 3-1 win over Liverpool being the highlight during that sequence.

Reading are not renowned for their attacking prowess but the fact that they have scored at least once in their past 14 matches speaks for itself.

West Ham, chalked up at 5-6 by most firms, are one place ahead of Reading in the Premier League table and began their Christmas programme with a 2-1 win away to Middlesbrough - a last-minute goal by Scott Parker securing them the spoils.

However, the Hammers have a lengthy injury list and have struggled to come up to scratch at Upton Park this season. Eight home league games have yielded just two wins, the last of which was more than two months ago.

To show how vulnerable they are in front of their own fans, they also lost at home in the Carling Cup last week.

It is a year since Reading thrashed the Hammers 6-0 and, while a repeat of that scoreline is unlikely, it could be worth a small bet on them winning 1-0, which was the result in the corresponding fixture last season.  Blue Square offer 10-1 against a repeat.