Opposition Lowdown: League One Strugglers Cambridge United
Reading’s first game of 2025 sees them face Cambridge United on New Year’s Day. Join us as we take a closer look at the opposition.
Form
Cambridge United finished in 18th place in League One last season, three places and four points above the relegation zone. This marks their fourth straight campaign in League One, having secured promotion back to the third tier in 2021, after finishing runners-up in League Two.
The Us are struggling so far this season, currently sitting 22nd in the league after four wins, five draws and 13 losses so far. Their recent form has been relatively poor and they come into this game off the back of three straight losses, with their last defeat coming away to Leyton Orient on Sunday, when they lost 2-0.
Although they sit bottom of the away-form league, their home form has been slightly better, having picked up 12 of their 17 points at the Abbey Stadium.
The two sides faced each other at the start of December, when Reading claimed a convincing 3-0 victory at the SCL Stadium after two goals from Lewis Wing and one from Mamadi Camara.
The boss
Garry Monk: Monk took over as Cambridge boss in March 2024, replacing Neil Harris, who left to rejoin his old club Millwall.
Monk had an almost 20-year career as a player, representing the likes of Torquay United, Southampton, Barnsley and Swansea City, where he spent 10 years. The former centre-back became Swansea captain in 2006 and saw promotions to both the Championship and Premier League (the latter via a playoff final win against Reading).
He started his managerial career at Swansea, becoming caretaker player/manager in 2014, before then taking on the role permanently at the end of the season, while also ending his playing career.
Monk spent a year and a half in charge of the Swans before he was sacked with the club sat 15th in the Premier League. He went on to have short spells at both Leeds United and Middlesbrough, before joining Birmingham City in 2018. He lasted just over a year at Birmingham before joining Sheffield Wednesday, where he also spent a year before his sacking in November 2020.
Monk had been out of the game for just over three years before taking over at Cambridge and guiding them to an 18th-placed finish last season. The 45-year-old favours a direct style of football.
Squad
Cambridge bought in 12 players over the summer and will likely look to add more to their squad in January as they battle relegation from League One.
Forward Shayne Lavery will definitely miss out on Wednesday’s game with a hamstring injury. Striker Dan Nlundulu may also miss out through injury, having come off in their last game against Leyton Orient.
Expected lineup
Stevens, L. Bennett, Okedina, Morrison, Andrew, Smith, Cousins, Kachnuga, Stokes, Kaikai, Njoku
Key player
Michael Morrison: Former Royal Morrison signed for Cambridge in January 2023, returning to the club where he started his career.
Having come through the Us’ youth system, the defender made his debut for the club in 2005. After three seasons with the Us, Morrison went on to join Leicester City in 2008 where he spent two and a half seasons, making 93 appearances for the Foxes.
A permanent move to Charlton Athletic followed and then he headed to Birmingham, where a temporary loan spell was made permanent. Morrison made 183 appearances for Birmingham over four and a half years before moving to Reading on a free transfer in 2019.
He made 113 appearances for the Royals, scoring eight goals before joining Portsmouth in 2022. Since re-signing for Cambridge in 2023, Morrison has made an additional 83 Us appearances and is their club captain.
The 35-year-old is a centre-back who is comfortable on the ball and is a natural leader.
One to watch
Liam Bennett: Defender Bennett joined Cambridge in 2021, signing from their sister club St Neots Town. He played in the youth team at Sudbury before joining St Neots in 2020.
Bennett gained first-team experience via loans at Hemel Hempstead Town and Walsall, before becoming a first-team regular in 2023. He has since gone on to make 111 appearances for United and has one goal to his name.
The 23-year-old predominantly plays as a right-back but has also been used on the right-hand side of midfield. Bennett is a marauding wing-back who is an effective dribbler and crosser of the ball.