Reading FC will face Premier League side West Ham United in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday July 21 in preparation for the 2021/22 campaign.
The club will are yet to confirm whether the game will be played behind closed doors or will be ticketed and played in front of fans at the Madejski Stadium, but are expected to make an announcement closer to the game.
David Moyes’ side will present a tough test for Veljko Paunović’s Royals as they look ahead to the new season with the Serbian boss in charge of his first pre-season campaign at Reading.
West Ham were the surprise package of the Premier League season in 2020/21, fighting among the top-six places to earn European football for the next campaign.
They eventually finished in sixth position under the former Manchester United and Everton manager who guided the Hammers to a sublime season as they can now look forward to playing Europa League football at the London Stadium when the new season starts.
Reading last met West Ham in 2012/13 at Upton Park as an already relegated Royals side were defeated 4-2.
Earlier that season, the Royals got the better of the East London side at the Madejski Stadium as a Pavel Pogrebnyak goal gifted all three points for Brian McDermott’s men.
West Ham were promoted to the top flight the same season as Reading, in 2011/12 as the Royals were crowned Championship winners and the Hammers went up as winners of the play-offs that season.
However, West Ham have remained in the top flight ever since while Reading were relegated in their first season back in the top division.
Former Royal, Michail Antonio, will be likely to line up against his former club having become a pivotal part of Moyes’ transformed side, as well as England international Declan Rice and several other international stars who are likely to feature in this summer’s European Championship.
The Royals also enjoyed one of the most famous days in the club’s history against West Ham back in 2006/07 when Reading were in their debut season in the Premier League.
Steve Coppell’s side welcomed Alan Curbishley’s West Ham to the Madejski on New Year’s Day in 2007 as the Berkshire side had arguably their finest hour in top-flight football as they smashed six goals past their opponents in an astounding win.
Among the goalscorers on that day were Brynjar Gunnarsson, Stephen Hunt, Leroy Lita and Kevin Doyle in a fondly remembered team that finished in eighth.
