Reading vs West Bromwich Albion: How to watch the game on TV, live stream, kick-off time & team news

West Bromwich Albion are back in Sky Bet Championship action on Saturday afternoon as they head to the Madejski Stadium to take on high-flying Reading. The game comes just days after Steve Bruce was relieved of his duties as head coach.

The Baggies are yet to replace the former Manchester United man, with Under-21s coach Richard Beale in line to lead from the touchline. Bruce was sacked on Monday after managing just one win in West Brom’s opening 13 league games.

His final game in charge, last Saturday, was another result to frustrate fans - a bore 0-0 draw with Luton Town at the Hawthorns. Before that, the Albion lost 1-0 away at Preston and 3-2 at home to Swansea City.

Beale and supporters alike will be hoping for a change of fortunes this weekend, but it won’t be easy as Reading have won an equal league-high of seven matches this term. The Royals did lose in their last outing, however, as Queens Park Rangers won a tight clash by two goals to one.

Something that may bring some early confidence is the Baggies’ recent record against the Royals, as West Brom are unbeaten in the last six meetings. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game, including the kick-off time, the latest team news, and how to watch the clash on UK television.

What is the team news ahead of Reading vs West Brom?

The first fixture this season with Bruce in charge could see some heavy rotation in a bid to turn things around, especially in midfield and attack. There could be a change in tactical approach, too, as supporters were left frustrated by the Albion’s centre forwards being exposed by a one-up-top formation under Bruce.

The likes of Karlan Ahearne-Grant and Brandon Thomas-Asante could even start up front together if Beale agrees - and there could be a shift in personnel in the centre of the park with plenty of competition for places.

Semi Ajayi (ankle) and Daryl Dike (thigh) missed the 0-0 draw with Luton and are fighting to get back to action, but both are unlikely to feature once again. Meanwhile, Kean Bryan, who has been out with an ACL problem for an extended period, is back in training but still a little way off from being available.

Is Reading vs West Brom on TV and how can I watch it?

Reading vs West Brom has been selected for a 3pm kick-off time on Saturday October 15 and so it won’t be shown live on UK television. This is to comply with the ‘blackout’ regulation on televised coverage between 2:45pm and 5:15pm on a Saturday.

Under the rules, broadcasting rights are restricted for clubs in the UK, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. Not all is lost, though, as highlights will be available for Sky Sports subscribers on the Sky Sports app around 15-30 minutes after the final whistle.

Albion are also set to arrange live commentary of the game courtesy of WBA Radio. Gez Mulholland and Andy Johnson’s coverage will start at 2.45pm, with an audio package available for £2.50 on the West Brom website.

How to sign up to Sky Sports and Now TV

You’ll need a Sky subscription to watch Sky Sports and there are different options to choose from. For brand new customers you can get Sky TV and Sky Sports for £44 a month for 18 months instead of £51/month. The price includes a Netflix subscription and there’s a £20 setup fee.

If you’re a current Sky customer the cheapest option will cost you £15 extra a month in the 2 for 1 Football Channel Offer and is perfect for fans who only want football. If you want to go all out and have access to all 8 Sky Sports channels including Premier League, F1 and more then that will be an extra £25 a month on top of your current contract.

If you’re already in contract with another provider then you can also sign up to access Sky Sports through a Now TV membership. There are two options to choose from - a monthly subscription which is £33 a month, or a single day subscription which is £11.

On the Now TV website, it will show a sports membership and another option. A daily subscription grants you 24-hour access to 11 sky sports channels, whereas a monthly subscription will allow you to watch all Sky channels whenever you wish, on up to three devices at any given time.

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