Barclays Premier League

READING DESERVEDLY SNATCH LATE WIN

Reading made it five wins out of their last six games in all competitions with a late 2-1 victory over Sunderland at the Madejski Stadium. A brace from Jimmy Kebe sealed the win for the Royals, with a Craig Gardner penalty levelling things up for the Black Cats in the first half. The home side have become known as the Premier League's comeback kings in recent weeks, but they were ahead after just seven minutes through Jimmy Kebe's brilliantly taken goal. Just before the half hour mark, Pavel Pogrebnyak clumsily brought down John O'Shea in the Reading box, forcing referee Lee Mason to point to the spot. Craig Gardner stepped up and duly converted the penalty. After being on top for much of the first half, Reading appeared to take their foot off the gas after the break. Sunderland squandered chances through Alfred N'Diaye and Danny Graham, but Adam Federici was brilliant between the sticks for the home side. Then, on 85 minutes, Ian Harte rolled back the years with a superb free kick from the right that Jimmy Kebe headed in at the back post. Three points for Reading, who extend the gap between them and the relegation zone to two.

FULL TIME

That's it! Another late goal from Reading has sealed yet another superb win that extends their impressive run of form.

THREE MINUTES LEFT

The fourth official signals that there will be three minutes of added time at the Madejski.

SUNDERLAND PEGGED BACK

What a blow for Sunderland. They've matched Reading in this second half, but have looked completely unable to deal with Ian Harte's set pieces all day. Martin O'Neill won't be happy.

MORE ON THAT GOAL!

Ian Harte may be 35, but he's not lost his ability from set pieces. The Irishman whips in a devilish ball from a free kick on the right flank. It's perfect: pacey and curling, and finding Jimmy Kebe at the back post, who makes no mistake by powering a heading past Simon Mignolet.

GOAL!

It's there! Jimmy Kebe gets his second as Reading poke their noses in front late on!

GRAHAM GOES CLOSE

Danny Graham almost marks his debut with a goal. Adam Johnson swings in a corner from the left and the former Swansea man powers a header goalwards, only to be denied by a great save from Adam Federici.

LE FONDRE TIME?

Into the final 10 minutes now, so Reading will be looking to their talisman Adam Le Fondre for some late inspiration.

SHANKED WIDE

Alfred N'Diaye looks a big presence in the middle of the Sunderland midfield, but he really needs to work on his finishing. Not for the first time today, the Frenchman gets into a good position but completely messes up his finish - this time from inside the area.

SUNDERLAND SUB

New boy Danny Graham comes on for his Sunderland debut - to rapturous applause, I might add. Stephane Sessegnon the man to come off.

BULLET HEADER

Adrian Mariappa rattles the crossbar for Reading with a powerful header from Ian Harte's corner. It was a really good leap from the centre half, and he was really unlucky not to put his side ahead.

READING SUB

Pavel Pogrebnyak is coming off. He's done OK up top has the Russian, but it was his challenge that led to the Sunderland penalty. On in place of Pogrebnyak is Nick Blackman, signed for £1.2m three days ago from Sheffield United, for his Reading debut.

PENALTY SHOUT

Sunderland fans scream for a penalty as Alfred N'Diaye goes down in the box. It looked as though Stephen Kelly caught his heels as he went to get on the end of a long ball, but Lee Mason waves play on.

END TO END

Neither side seem able to get control of the ball for a significant period. Stephane Sessegnon is stopped in his tracks on the edge of the Reading box, with the home side setting Adam Le Fondre free down the right. He's challenged by Danny Rose, only for his long ball to be cut out.

READING SUB

Here he comes. Reading's super sub Adam Le Fondre - the scorer of five goals in his last three games off the bench - replaces Garath McCleary. Clear intent from Brian McDermott.

SUNDERLAND SUB

James McClean is going to come on for the final half an hour or so. David Vaughan trots off.

INTO THE WALL

Harte blasts the free kick straight into the Sunderland wall. He was due a bad one...

FREE KICK IN A GREAT AREA

David Vaughan upends Jobi McAnuff on the edge of the Sunderland box. Free kick to Reading in what is definitely Ian Harte territory.

YELLOW CARD

Stephane Sessegnon becomes the third Sunderland player in the book.

GOALKEEPER SPILLED

Harte pumps in a free kick from about 40 yards out. It dips right at Simon Mignolet's feet and the Belgian stopper can only parry.

GOOD PRESSURE

Much better from Reading. Ian Harte's crossing has been superb today, and he causes Sunderland problems twice in quick succession from the left-hand side. The home side can't manage to get an attempt away at goal, though.

FRUSTRATION SETTING IN

Reading have given away a number of silly fouls in the second half, and their fans are getting a bit frustrated. A more even start to this period so far.

POOR FREE KICK

Decent chance for Sunderland to exert some early second half pressure, as they're awarded a free kick in a decent position to the right of the box. Adam Johnson's delivery is poor, though, and he fails to beat the first man.

SUNDERLAND SUB

Martin O'Neill makes a change at the break, with Danny Rose returning to first team action after four weeks out. Sebastian Larsson is the man who departs, with Rose slotting in at left back and Jack Colback moving into midfield.

BACK UNDERWAY

Reading restart proceedings at the Madejski.

HALF TIME

Reading and Sunderland go into the break on level terms, but it's the home side that were on top for much of the first half. Jimmy Kebe opened the scoring for them inside 10 minutes, but they squandered their lead after 28 minutes when Pavel Pogrebnyak brought down John O'Shea in the box, with Craig Gardner duly converting the penalty.

ANOTHER GOOD STOP

Adam Federici has been impressive this afternoon so far. Stephane Sessegnon displays some positive play for arguably the first time in the game, showing some trickery inside the box before getting a shot away from the left. Federici produces a smart stop to deny the Beninese midfielder.

LET OFF

Reading have the ball in the net through Jimmy Kebe, after Jobi McAnuff's determined run into the box, but Lee Mason rules it out for a foul by McAnuff on David Vaughan. The Reading skipper did really well to beat a couple of Sunderland players, but upended Vaughan as the ball ran away from his reach.

GREAT REACTIONS

Another lovely delivery from Ian Harte, this time from the right-hand side. He plays it in long towards Pavel Pogrebnyak, who heads goalwards at the back post, only to be denied by a brilliant low save from Simon Mignolet.

IMPORTANT TOUCH

Sloppy defending initially from Reading, who allow Adam Johnson to be played through on the left. Johnson takes the ball to the byline and crosses low, but Alex Pearce makes amends with a smart block to cut out the winger's cross.

GOOD PRESSURE

Good spell of pressure from Reading. The move culminates in a right-footed driven effort from Ian Harte that bobbles just wide of Sunderland's goal.

YELLOW CARD

Titus Bramble is the next name in the book, after going right through the back of Pavel Pogrebnyak.

SILLY FOUL

What Pavel Pogrebnyak was doing making such a silly challenge in the penalty area, I'll never know. Brian McDermott will be furious after his side's impressive start. Pogrebnyak might be told to stay upfield next time there's a corner.

GOAL!

Cracking penalty from Craig Gardner, who smashes the ball low and hard right across Adam Federici's dive. It's been all Reading for the majority of this game, but Sunderland are back on level terms.

PENALTY!

Sunderland have a penalty, and it's so, so cheap. A corner is headed away by the Reading defence, and Pavel Pogrebnyak goes in hard on John O'Shea, catching his standing foot. Definite penalty.

STRONG SAVES

Adam Federici keeps Reading in it with a smart double save. Alfred N'Diaye dances along the edge of the box before getting a shot away that Federici palms away, but only as far as the onrushing Sebastian Larsson, whose first time shot is blocked by the Australian goalkeeper from close range.

GREAT DELIVERY

Lovely ball in by Ian Harte from the resulting free kick. He curls it left-footed and finds Alex Pearce, who volleys goalwards, only for his effort to hit Jack Colback and go behind. Simon Mignolet then collects the ball from Harte's corner.

YELLOW CARD

Craig Gardner becomes the first Sunderland player in Lee Mason's book, after dragging Garath McCleary to the ground. Free kick to Reading on the left flank.

BIG STEP UP

Reading signed Hope Akpan for £300,000 from Crawley during the transfer window. The 21-year-old contributed assists for both of Adam Le Fondre's goals against Chelsea and certainly looks comfortable in his first Premier League start.

SUNDERLAND ROCKED

Reading's early goal appears to have thrown Sunderland off their gameplan. They're looking a tad nervy at the back and I don't think Steven Fletcher has even had a touch yet. Good start for the home side, though.

WASTED ATTEMPT

First chance of the game for Sunderland, who string a few passes together in the final third. The ball falls to Alfred N'Diaye, who drags a low, drilled shot wide from outside the area.

HOW WILL READING COPE?

They've acquired a tag of being the Premier League's comeback kings in recent weeks, but Reading find themselves in front inside 10 minutes today. It'll be interesting to see how Brian McDermott's men react.

MORE ON THAT GOAL!

Lovely goal from Reading. Jobi McAnuff is played through on the left; he takes it to the byline and crosses for Kebe, who after a magnificent first touch, slams the ball into the roof of the Sunderland net.

GOAL!

Reading take the lead through a brilliantly taken Jimmy Kebe goal!

SCRAPPY START

The opening moments of this game have been very scrappy. It's been long ball after long ball. Craig Gardner brings down the cautioned McAnuff on the Reading left and despite giving away a free kick, isn't booked - much to the displeasure of the home fans.

YELLOW CARD

This must surely be the quickest caution of the season. Jobi McAnuff is booked within 10 seconds after clattering into David Vaughan.

HERE WE GO

Sunderland get us going at a sunny Madejski Stadium.

SUNDERLAND TEAM

Mignolet, O'Shea, Bramble, N'Diaye, Larsson, Gardner, Colback, Vaughan, Johnson, Sessegnon, Fletcher. Subs: Westwood, Bardsley, Rose, Mangane, McClean, Graham, Wickham.

READING TEAM

Federici, Pearce, Mariappa, Harte, Kelly, Leigertwood, McAnuff, Kebe, Akpan, Pogrebnyak, McCleary. Subs: Taylor, Shorey, Morrison, Karacan, Guthrie, Le Fondre, Blackman.

KICK-OFF - 15:00 GMT

Join us just before kick-off for the confirmed teams and all the action from the Madejski Stadium.

SUNDERLAND EARLY TEAM NEWS

New signing Danny Graham could make his debut for a Sunderland team that is likely to contain the returning Carlos Cuellar and Danny Rose. Skipper Lee Cattermole remains sidelined.

READING EARLY TEAM NEWS

Noel Hunt could face a late fitness test after missing Reading's draw with Chelsea through injury. The Royals' super sub Adam Le Fondre could be in line for a start after bagging five goals in his last three appearances off the bench.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Reading and Sunderland's seven meetings this side of the millennium have produced three wins for the Royals and four for the Black Cats. Goals from James McClean, Steven Fletcher and Stephane Sessegnon sealed a comfortable 3-0 victory for Martin O'Neill's side in the reverse fixture in December.

GRAHAM RETURNS TO THE NORTH EAST

Six years after leaving Middlesbrough, Newcastle fan Danny Graham returned home to the north-east in the transfer window, as Sunderland paid Swansea £5m for his services. Martin O'Neill managed to fight off late interest from Middlesbrough, and made Graham his third signing of the month, after already adding Senegal international defender Kader Mangane and French midfielder Alfred N'Diaye to his ranks. David Meyler and Ahmed Elmohamady both signed for Hull City during the window, while Fraizer Campell joined Cardiff.

READING ACQUISITIONS LACK TOP FLIGHT EXPERIENCE

Excluding the acquisition of Fulham full back Stephen Kelly, the Royals' four January incomings only boast one Premier League appearance between them. Nick Blackman – the scorer of 14 goals in League One for Sheffield United this season – signed for an undisclosed fee, and made his one and only top flight appearance for Blackburn last season. He signed on the dotted line alongside Crawley's ex-Everton youngster Hope Akpan and Sporting Lisbon captain Daniel Carrico – who despite his lack of Premier League experience, is sure to bolster the Reading defence. Brian McDermott allowed four of his youngsters to go out on loan during the window.

CAN THE ROYALS' RUN CONTINUE?

Reading go into today's clash with Sunderland unbeaten in five games. Late braces from Adam Le Fondre against both Newcastle and Chelsea and a spectacular turnaround to win 3-2 at home to West Brom means the Royals are now affectionately known as the Premier League's comeback kings. For the first time since mid-November, they begin a match outside the relegation zone, and based on current form, will see today's fixture as a very winnable game. Sunderland are unbeaten in three in the league, and a win would see them leapfrog Stoke to move into the top half.

THE MATCH

The Madejski Stadium is the setting this afternoon, as Reading host Sunderland in the Premier League. Kick-off is 15:00 GMT.