Article

Akpan excited for Everton return

28 February 2013 21:28

Reading midfielder Hope Akpan is in no doubt his side can avoid relegation this year, despite the club sitting just one point from safety.

Saturday's 3-0 home defeat to relegation rivals Wigan saw them slip into 19th place, but the 21-year-old is refusing to be disheartened.

"We can stay up, 100 per cent," Akpan told BBC Radio.

"We still have that belief.

"Any loss like that is tough to take. Obviously with the position we are in and the position Wigan are in it was even tougher to take. We just need to use that pain to help us get the points we need to stay up.

"It is very tight, there are a lot of games left to play and a lot of points to play for and we need to go into the game with the belief we can win it. We still have that belief."

Next up for the Royals is a trip to Everton, where Akpan will make his first return as an opposition player to the ground he called home for over a decade.

The Childwall native admitted it will be an emotional occasion, but insisted he is fully focused on performing for Brian McDermott's side.

"It's going to be an exciting game for me," he admitted.

"First and foremost I am a Reading player and that is my main focus. I'm happy to be going back to Goodison Park and am super excited. I was there since I was eight and I had a lot of experiences there but you have to live in the moment."

Info

Reading

L L W D L

0 - 3

Wigan Athletic

D L W L W

Competition

Half-time: 0 - 2
Full-time: 0 - 3

Venue: Madejski Stadium (Reading)
Attendance: 22321

Goals

	0 - 1	44' A. Koné (assist by M. Figueroa)
	0 - 2	45'+2 A. Koné (assist by J. Beausejour)
	0 - 3	48' M. Figueroa (assist by F. Di Santo)

Lineups

#	Player	Bookings
1	A. Federici
6	A. Mariappa
23	I. Harte
27	S. Kelly
15	S. Morrison
8	M. Leigertwood	36'
11	J. McAnuff
4	J. Karacan
14	J. Kébé
28	H. Akpan
7	P. Pogrebnyak	55'
Coach: B. McDermott

#	Player	Bookings
26	Ali Al Habsi
5	G. Caldwell
17	E. Boyce	63'
31	M. Figueroa	48'
33	P. Scharner
22	J. Beausejour
16	J. McArthur
4	J. McCarthy
10	S. Maloney
2	A. Koné	44' 45+2'
9	F. Di Santo
Coach: Roberto Martínez

Substitutes

#	Player	Bookings
9	A. Le Fondre for H. Akpan 46'
10	N. Hunt for J. Kébé 63'
12	G. McCleary for J. Karacan 71'
3	N. Shorey
5	A. Pearce
19	H. Robson-Kanu
41	S. Taylor

#	Player	Bookings
14	Jordi Gómez for F. Di Santo 76'
3	A. Alcáraz for E. Boyce 83'
1	Joel
11	Á. Henríquez
15	C. McManaman
18	R. Espinoza
23	R. Stam

Thursday 23 May

16:07	Nicollin: Cabella worth 100 million euros
15:56	Demel proud of West Ham´s home record
15:49	Debuchy: Premier League is difficult
15:21	Pazzini to miss start of next season
15:09	Ferdinand extends Manchester United deal
14:23	Pulis thanks fans after Stoke departure
14:07	Berlin to host 2015 UEFA Champions League final
14:04	Werder face Dutt wait
13:43	Finke appointed Cameroon boss
13:38	Wilshere keen to improve after comeback season
13:08	Vieira excited by MLS franchise
13:04	Rodgers wants quick decision on Carroll future
12:55	Kagawa wants European success
11:21	Mata hopes for Mourinho arrival
10:44	Welbeck disappointed with goals tally
10:36	UEFA Champions League Preview: Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich
10:23	Zabaleta excited by Pellegrini
09:53	Ramos: Bale is ´Real Madrid-quality´
08:59	Hart urges City to go forward
05:27	Copa Libertadores Wrap: Santa Fe earn away win
05:24	Fiorentina reject Jovetic rumours
05:16	Piszczek set for post-season surgery
04:48	Adriano signs Barca extension
04:33	International Friendly: Venezuela 2 El Salvador 1
04:22	Bundesliga chief slams Qatar World Cup scheduling
03:52	Gignac wants Barton to stay
02:35	Ramsey, Walcott hail Wenger´s achievements
02:20	Loew regrets timing of German finale

Wednesday 22 May

20:56	Mourinho and Ronaldo given two-match bans
20:48	AFC Champions League Wrap: Lekhwiya hold on to progress
20:37	Thomas, Jara released by West Brom
20:16	Martinez to decide future
20:04	Pearce: Championship will not hold back McCarthy
19:05	Pulis: I understand Stoke´s decision
18:39	Vidic reflects on ´amazing´ season
18:17	Bale: Spurs will bounce back
17:56	Petrov to become academy coach at Aston Villa
17:56	De Laurentiis begins search for Mazzarri replacement
17:52	New York City FC appoint Reyna
17:50	Pardew: We should try emulate Liverpool
17:20	Ribery: Bayern stronger than Dortmund
17:04	Conte building for the future at Juventus
16:52	Bundesliga Play-off Preview: Hoffenheim v Kaiserslautern
16:52	Ibrahimovic coy on PSG future
16:33	Goetze to miss Champions League final
16:22	Giroud wants better European showing from Arsenal
16:07	Chelsea´s England players to leave tour early
16:05	Fiorentina capture Yakovenko
15:25	Pellegrini and Malaga to part company
15:04	Fulham sign Boateng
14:50	Green wants first-team football at QPR
14:12	Britton set for surgery
14:03	Neville interested in Everton job
13:42	Holloway: Brighton incident motivated Palace players
13:36	Rodgers confident of keeping Suarez at Liverpool
13:25	Eredivisie Preview: Twente v Utrecht
13:21	Etherington praises Pulis´ work at Stoke
13:17	Vlaar excited for new season at Aston Villa
12:01	Badstuber sidelined for 10 months after knee surgery
11:21	Clichy: Manchester City were right to sack Mancini
11:10	Cole set for West Ham departure
10:27	Lampard: It was tough under Benitez
10:11	Mourinho branded a ´failure´
06:44	Carroll out of England squad
05:37	Nasri throws support behind Pellegrini
05:07	Kewell unhappy with Australia omission
04:58	Messi: Neymar would be a wonderful addition
01:22	Doll: Dortmund are not underdogs

Tuesday 21 May

23:08	AFC Champions League Wrap: Seoul, Buriram, Al Ahli, Al Shabab advance
22:27	Pulis leaves Stoke
21:08	Sanogo relishing Arsenal move
21:05	Galtier signs extension at Saint-Etienne
20:32	Baines explains appearance record
20:28	Pulis future in doubt amid exit rumours
20:12	Swansea coach Tucker praises goalkeepers
19:25	West Ham sign Rat
19:10	McAuley eager to keep improving
18:43	Ribery keen to end career at Bayern
18:36	Reina plays down Barcelona speculation
18:20	De Boer agrees new Ajax deal
18:13	Sheffield United make McCall move
18:11	Heldt: Schalke interested in Santana
18:06	Messi urges Barcelona not to change
17:41	Manchester City agree MLS club deal with New York Yankees
16:57	Cech confident Chelsea will attract big names
16:48	Blackman urges Reading to be more ruthless
16:47	Montanier leaves Sociedad for Rennes
15:38	Rodgers pleased with Coutinho impact
15:30	Leonardo: Ibrahimovic and Silva to stay
15:08	Carroll thanks West Hams fans after loan spell
14:31	De Laurentiis confirms Dzeko interest
14:16	Wilshere dreams of England captaincy
14:14	Mourinho a ´scourge´ on Spanish football
14:02	Moratti will not rush decision on Stramaccioni´s future
13:43	Klopp warns Dortmund stars about leaving
12:44	Schneiderlin backs Southampton to improve
12:29	Podolski delighted with fourth spot
12:12	Sigurdsson targets improvement at Tottenham
11:17	Di Canio criticised by PFA chief
10:50	Steaua owner Becali jailed for three years
10:00	Hummels pledges future to Dortmund
09:46	Retiring Ferguson ´overwhelmed´ by recognition
09:31	J.League Preview: Top three expected to win
06:34	Argentine Primera Division Wrap: Tigre earn point at Lanus
06:21	Galtier wants Ancelotti to stay
06:09	Pique, Barca playing for record haul
04:41	Gazidis, Arsenal target silverware
03:17	Juan plots Inter redemption
03:08	Gibbs wants to build on strong finish
02:58	Racism will not drive out Drogba
02:28	Martinez coy on Wigan future
02:17	Fernandinho still seeking City switch
02:01	Roberto Carlos set to coach Sivasspor
00:13	Ferguson named LMA Manager of the Year

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