Morning everyone! Just under an hour to go until our first Premier League match of the weekend and it's a mouth-waterer!

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let me bring you team news that is just reaching us here at SM.

READING XI: Federici; Gunter, Mariappa, Morrison, Kelly; Karacan, Akpan, Guthrie, McAnuff, Robson-Kanu; Le Fondre

SAINTS XI: Boruc; Clyne, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Shaw; Schneiderlin, Cork, S Davis, Ramirez; Lambert, Rodriguez

Adkins isn't afraid to make changes then as he swaps five players to his starting lineup, with Adam Federici, Chris Gunter, Steve Morrison, Hope Akpan and Adam Le Fondre replacing Steven Taylor, Nicky Shorey, Alex Pearce, Mikele Leigertwood and Pavel Pogrebnyak.

Mauricio Pochettino makes just one change to his side as Gaston Ramirez comes in for Jason Puncheon.

And here are the two substitute benches:

Reading: McCarthy, Harte, Pearce, Leigertwood, McCleary, Pogrebnyak, Hunt
Saints: K Davis, Fonte, Fox, Ward-Prowse, Lallana, Guly, Puncheon

It's Grand National day today and if you fancy a flutter on the game at the Madejski as well, Southampton are favourites at about 5/4 while Reading are 21/10 and the draw is 12/5.

REFEREE WATCH: Today's man in charge is Mike Jones.

There has been plenty of talk about how the two managers will greet each other at today's games. Both have insisted that there is nothing much to talk about, with Pochettino saying he has "no problem" with predecessor Adkins.

Adkins then echoed the Argentinian's niceties, insisting he has no hard feelings.

Interestingly, Saints goalkeeper Kelvin Davis has said that the decision to get rid of Adkins has been proved right because of their recent upturn in form.

Southampton have seen off Chelsea and Liverpool at home in their last two matches to move up to 12th in the table, four points clear of the drop zone.

Unfortunately for Reading, they've lost six on the bounce and are 1/40 to be relegated. They're rockbottom on the same points (23) as QPR which is seven adrift of safety.

When these two sides met in the reverse on the South Coast it was the Saints who nicked a 1-0 win, with Puncheon getting the only goal.

PREDICTION TIME! With just under 10 minutes until kickoff in Berkshire, it's time for my thoughts ahead of the match. Unfortunately for Adkins I just can't see Reading shutting out Rickie Lambert, Jay Rodriguez and Gaston Ramirez. I'm predicting a 3-1 away win.

Here come the two sides into the tunnel. Both are in their home colours with Reading in blue-and-white horizontal stripes, blue shorts and white socks while Southampton are all in red.

It's a first home match in charge of the Royals for Adkins and he walks out to a rapturous applause at the Madejski. It's a fine afternoon in Reading but temperatures aren't quite in double figures at nine degrees celsius.

KICKOFF! Schneiderlein and Davis of Southampton get us underway.

Bobbly backpass from Hooiveld forces Boruc to play safe and volley it out for a throw-in. Reading can't make anything of it and it's Southampton who break away down the other end through Rodriguez. He ignores Lambert on the right and tries to pick out Davis at the back post but he can't bring it down.

First chance of the game goes Reading's way as Morrison meets a deep free kick but can't get his powerful header under the crossbar.

It's been a frantic start with little quality as of yet. Both sides are hassling their opponents on the ball and it's leading to nibbly fouls and turnovers of possession.

Lovely ball over the top from Guthrie finds Le Fondre but he's flagged for offside. Replays indicate that the little striker was just in line with Yoshida. Harsh call.

Schneiderlein gets in down the right and he puts in a low cross into a dangerous area but there's no red shirt there to make contact.

Lovely interplay down the right as Ramirez gets Davis in with a lovely backheel but the number eight's cutback is weak and Mariappa intercepts.

WHAT A CHANCE! Le Fondre has made his name putting away chances like this as Southampton make an awful hash of a pretty average Guthrie free kick. The ball was swung in and somehow ricocheted its way to Le Fondre but he skied the left=foot volley.

And now Reading want a penalty as Robson-Kanu nutmegs Hooiveld before going down under the challenge of the centre-back. Jones shakes his head and the crowd are incensed. Hooiveld didn't go to ground and did get something on the ball so perhaps the right decision. Could have easily gone either way.

SAVE! It's all Reading now as Mariappa rises at the back post to thunder a header towards the bottom corner but it can't beat Boruc who makes an excellent save low to his right.

Ramirez brings down a high ball effortlessly and holds off the challenge of Karacan before shooting. It's not a great effort though and Federici sees it wide.

Both managers are the active type who use all of their technical area (and a bit more!) to bellow out instructions to their players. I wonder if Pochettino has learnt "Get rid" yet?

Cork floats a deep cross to Lambert, who had pulled onto Gunter for a mismatch, and he nods it to Ramirez but he can't then head it on target.

The Saints break the deadlock and Adkins isn't happy! Rodriguez played a lovely one-two with Lambert over the top and gets to the ball just ahead of Federici and wins the 50-50 so the ball squirms into an empty net.

OFF THE BAR! Almost a second for both Rodriguez and Southampton as Ramirez threads it through to the number nine and he thwacks an effort against the frame of the goal.

CHANCE! Reading don't help themselves do they? Mariappa is sluggish in possession and Rodriguez steals the ball before blitzing past a helpless Morrison to bear down on goal. He looks for the far corner by opening his body but Federici makes a fine save to deny him. The ball falls to Ramirez to put home the rebound but he hits it into the ground and wide with two men on the line.

Reading desperately need to get to half time just the one behind so Adkins can try and sort them out. A loss today and you'd have to say that it's certain relegation for the Royals.

Two minutes added on at the end of the first half.

Same old story for Reading then and they're on course for a club record eighth-straight defeat in all competitions. Rodriguez's goal separates the two sides and there's been great chances at both ends.

If you've only just joined us and want a short summary of the first half, read Sian Cowper's HT report by clicking here.

Southampton have looked very dangerous but Reading should have at least one goal. Le Fondre's miss was very uncharacteristic while referee Jones could have easily pointed to the spot for Hooiveld's challenge on Robson-Kanu.

READING SUB: Adkins isn't waiting around to make a change as he brings on Mikele Leigertwood for Hope Akpan.

Leigertwood should offer an assuring presence in that Reading midfield as they search for an equaliser while trying to keep out Southampton's dynamic attacking trio.

Yet again Southampton look dangerous on the break as Rodriguez sprints clear of the midfield and finds Davis on the left who cuts back onto his right and crosses for Lambert but his nod-down doesn't find a red jersey.

Southampton fail to clear a corner and that allows Robson-Kanu a volley on goal from inside a crowded penalty area. The Welsh international hits it well but it's blocked by Rodriguez.

A stale few minutes is followed by a Reading corner that McAnuff swings to the back post. Boruc misjudges it but luckily for him it hits the back of his own man before dropping for him to pick up.

CLOSE! The link-up play between Lambert and Rodriguez has been excellent and once again the Saints strikers create an opening. Lambert threads a through-ball into Rodriguez and he squares up the defence before curling a cross-cum-shot that just evades Lambert's outstretched leg.

READING SUB: Adkins makes his second change as Gareth McCleary takes the place of Guthrie.

SAINTS SUB: Pochettino makes his first change a minute later as club captain Adam Lallana replaces Ramirez.

Rodriguez finds himself out on the right wing and he searches for Lambert in the middle who is just beaten to the ball by Mariappa.

Briefly away from the game at the Madejski, there's a funny story emerging from the Championship where Crystal Palace will be playing, err, Crystal Palace! The Eagles were meant to be up against Barnsley but the Tykes have just said this on Twitter: "Barnsley will be playing in Palace away kit today due to a kit clash as advised by referee on the day."

Rodriguez is understandably high on confidence and he's just tried a stupendous 35-yard volley but hit it nowhere near the goal. Easy Jay, easy.

Game, set and match me thinks. Southampton yet again take advantage of some slack Reading defending as Rodriguez clips a perfect ball over the top for the untracked Lallana who calmly beats Federici at the near post. That's Reading back to the Championship surely?

READING SUB: Adkins was ready to bring on Noel Hunt as Lallana scored and he doesn't change his mind as the Irishman replaces Robson-Kanu.

Reading are convinced they've equalised as Le Fondre gets up well to head goalwards and Boruc catches the ball but he's off-balance and carries the ball back towards goal. He manages to push it out and the linesman thinks it wasn't over the line. Replays are fairly inconclusive but I don't think all of the ball was over the line.

That story at Crystal Palace just gets funnier and funnier:

Rodriguez really has upset the Reading defence today and once again he sprints at Morrison but this time the Reading man stays on his feet and just about sees out the danger.

Almost a horrible moment for Morrison as he doesn't realise that Davis is right on his shoulder and turns right into the Saints number eight. It look as if he'll be able to go on and score but he can't quite take it in his stride and Reading survive a third.

THREE minutes added on at the end.

MISS! So close to some icing on a very tasty cake for Southampton as Clyne bursts into the box and pulls it back for Guly Do Prado, who came on for Davis moments earlier, but the Brazilian can only blaze over.

A fairly comfortable day at the office for Southamtpon then as they pile more misery on rockbottom Reading. A goal in either half was good enough for the Saints, with the excellent Rodriguez and substitute Lallana on the scoresheet.

Three points catapults the Saints up one place to 11th while surely that's Reading straight back down to the Championship as they remain seven points adrift and have played a game more than others around them.

Find our match report on the game by clicking here. Thanks for joining Sports Mole this afternoon. Be sure to now head over and find three more live Premier League commentaries kicking off shortly.