U21S PREVIEW: BURNLEY V READING

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Royals visit Lancashire on Friday night

2026-01-29T10:00:00.000Z

U21S PREVIEW: BURNLEY V READING

Royals visit Lancashire on Friday night

2026-01-29T10:00:00.000Z

Royals visit Lancashire on Friday night

Burnley U21s are preparing for Friday night action under the lights, with Reading visiting the County Ground in Leyland for a 7pm kick-off.

The young Clarets have put in spirited performances against Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in their last two outings and will be keen to try and earn three points here.

A trip to Arsenal was the team’s latest venture, and it finished 1-0 to the Gunners on a bitterly cold night at Borehamwood.

After a goalless first half the north Londoners put their foot on the accelerator after the break, and Andy Farrell’s team’s resistance was eventually broken by Brando Bailey-Joseph’s 71st-minute strike.

Having taken seven points from 12 Premier League 2 matches thus far, Burnley are currently 27th in the 29-team standings.

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Reading are just two points and a place better off, having claimed two wins and three draws from their 11 fixtures to date.

The Royals have lost all three of their matches since the turn of the year, with the latest defeat coming away at AFC Bournemouth on Thursday 22nd January.

That was a Premier League Cup game, in which Eugene Nyarko struck a second-half brace for the Cherries.

Peter Scott has been in charge of the Berkshire outfit’s U21s since January 2025 and has held various roles within the Academy over a 25-year period.

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Burnley did the double over Reading in the group stages of the Premier League Cup last season, on route to the semi-finals.

Murray Campbell, Tom Tweedy and Joe Westley were on target in a 3-1 victory at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, and Farrell’s side recorded an even bigger winning margin in Lancashire.

It was 4-1 in Leyland in February 2025, with Joao Mendes and Joe Ashton among the scorers.

Tickets for this 7pm kick-off at the Lancashire FA headquarters (PR25 2LF) can be purchased on the day, although Burnley season ticket holders can get in for free by showing their season ticket at the turnstiles.

Other adults are priced at £5, while concessions are £2.50.

If you can’t make it in person, you will be able to watch live on Clarets+ HERE or X HERE. Be sure to keep an eye out for updates on our Academy dedicated social media accounts too.