Aston Villa v Reading: Predict to win a t-shirt

We're in the relegation zone and Reading are one place and one point behind us. If we win tomorrow we leave the relegation zone but if we lose, Reading go above us. A draw will mean we stay exactly where we are right now. So, question of the day is; is this game a six pointer then?

I'm not sure of the answer, but it probably is. I am sure though that this is a massive game for us tomorrow and despite all the talk, there is only one result that will be good enough and we all know what that is.

And as someone pointed out in the comments at the weekend; we played well against Arsenal because we were allowed to play well. Tomorrow is a different test, because to do well against Reading we are going to have to dominate from the first whistle and we're not going to get the freedom that maybe we got against an Arsenal side that doesn't like to tackle.

What has happened to Darren Bent?

And so I have another question. You see, I'm not sure what the general consensus is on Darren Bent; has he been dropped or is he not able to play because he isn't match fit?

I want to ask because I've got a feeling he has been well and truly dropped but I've got another feeling that if I wrote that, someone would say he hasn't been fit.

The reason I ask is because last season he was one of the best strikers in the Premier League, based on chances converted, and I just think, if you've got a player like that in the team, isn't the obvious thing to do - especially when the team he plays for find themselves in the relegation zone - is create more bloody chances for him?

I could be thinking of another game here, so shoot me down if you want to and I know Bent isn't the most lively of players, but couldn't that just be because that isn't his game and it never has been?

Prediction time

So, to the game tomorrow and I don't have a prize given, but I'm offering one up. Same rules apply, one prediction per user and if more than one get it right, names go into a hat and one person is drawn.

The prize if you win is a t-shirt from here - you get to pick the size and design, I get to order it for you. So predict away; I'm going for a 3-0 win for us and hugely renewed optimism.