ENGLISH OTHER BETTING PREVIEW - PORTSMOUTH VS READING

English Other

2025-08-12 - Portsmouth vs Reading

A Sports Betting Preview by Auls

Portsmouth v Reading
Football: English League Cup First Round
Tuesday 12th August 2025 - Kick Off 7:45pm

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Portsmouth

The last two decades have seen the rise and fall of Portsmouth Football Club, but they are trending in a positive direction these days. At one point it felt like Portsmouth were going to have to close the doors, while they were hurtling towards an exit from the Football League. Things have turned around now and Portsmouth look like a club on the up, albeit one that may have to consolidate in their second season back in the second tier.

Fans will be really looking forward to the derby games against Southampton and Portsmouth have made a bright start to the new season. Only once in the last 5 seasons have Portsmouth been beaten in the First Round of the League Cup and they are opening up the season at Fratton Park when hosting this fixture.

Portsmouth earned a narrow win at Oxford United this past weekend and that has extended the unbeaten run to 6 games, while also building on what had been a positive pre-season. The side ended last season with a single defeat in 8 home games and Portsmouth secured the victory in 5 of those matches.

Reading

New ownership has just rejuvenated the hopes and dreams of the Reading fanbase, but it may take a bit of time to really turn this club around. This will be the third year in League One and Reading only just missed out on the Play Off places last year, but the first two fixtures played have ended very disappointingly.

The Royals are propping up the very early League One table and they are one of just six teams who are yet to pick up a point in the 2025/26 season. Losing in the opening Round of the League Cup has become a familiar pattern for Reading who have lost the first game in this competition in 3 of the last 4 years.

Reading did not enjoy the most positive of pre-season results and they have begun the League One season with consecutive 2-0 defeats to Lincoln City and Huddersfield Town. The side had ended last season unbeaten in 4 away games and they had won 3 of those, although the summer has broken momentum.

Prediction

Portsmouth did the double over Reading in the 2023/24 League One season.

They have won 5 of the last 7 home games against Reading, although the defeat in that time was when Reading won a League Cup tie at Fratton Park in August 2015.

Prediction

One of the all time classic Premier League fixtures featured Portsmouth and Reading and ended in a 7-4 win for the home team at Fratton Park in 2007.

Both have suffered considerably since those days, but there are investors on board which suggest better is coming for Portsmouth and Reading.

It is the Championship club who have made the stronger start to the season and Reading have work to do having been second best against Lincoln City and Huddersfield Town. There is still time in the transfer window to bring in the quality needed to push into the Play Off places in League One, but for now Reading may be a little short and they may not be able to contain Portsmouth.

Playing at Fratton Park is always a challenge for visiting teams and Portsmouth made use of the advantage down the stretch at the end of the 2024/25 season.

League Cup ties will see changes to the starting eleven that will be used at the weekend for the League matches coming up, but Portsmouth may still have the extra quality in this First Round tie.

The Pick :

Portsmouth 2-0 Reading

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Portsmouth to Win at 1.80 with Bet365 (early payout if a team is leading by two goals)