Pre-Match Report

U21s preview: Reading v Arsenal

ACD

Our Under-21s head to the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Tuesday night to face Reading in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.

Both sides have already qualified for the knockout stages of the competition, but a win would see us go above Reading to top Group O.

Last time out

We came from 2-0 down to lead 3-2 against Manchester City, before ultimately drawing 3-3 in Premier League 2 at Meadow Park in early November.

Since then, many of the same players featured in our Under-19s’ 1-1 draw at home to Sevilla - our first point in the UEFA Youth League.

Reuell Walters headed in a second-half equaliser for us after Jose Ignacio had opened the scoring in the rain.

Reading report

It’s been a dismal season for Reading in Sky Bet League One. They’re bottom of the third tier with 11 defeats from 16 games, including a disappointing result at Shrewsbury Town on the weekend, where they were winning 2-0 inside 15 minutes only to lose 3-2, conceding twice at the end of the second half.

But it’s been quite the opposite in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy, where the Royals have put 14 past Swindon Town and Exeter City collectively without reply.

Knibbs

Harvey Knibbs scored a hat-trick in their 5-0 win at home to Swindon and there were seven different goalscorers when Reading hit Exeter for nine.

How to follow

We will be providing updates throughout the game on our Arsenal Academy Twitter page, and there will be a match report published on Arsenal.com after the final whistle.

We will also be sharing post-match interviews with Mehmet Ali and one of his young Gunners, as well as highlights of all the action.