READING FC are sweating on the fitness of three key players ahead of Saturday's Championship home fixture against promotion-chasing Burnley (3pm ko), writes Anthony Smith.

Matej Vydra, Danny Williams and Hal Robson-Kanu have all picked up knocks and will be assessed tomorrow.

It is thought central midfielder Williams will almost certainly be ruled out with a hamstring problem suffered in last weekend's 0-0 draw with Wolves.

Striker Vydra also has an issue with his hamstring and is in a race to be fit for the weekend, while Royals hope Robson-Kanu can shake off a niggle in time to face the Clarets.

Reading boss Brian McDermott said: “Vyds has a knock so we'll see what he's like. He hurt his hamstring during the Wolves game.

“It's the same with Danny Williams and we'll have to check him out.

“Hal has also got a bit of a knock but he should be okay.”

McDermott could do with a fully-fit squad to select from as Reading seek only a third league win in 14 Championship matches.

A miserable return of nine points from the last 39 on offer has left Royals 15th in the table and full 20 points behind Sean Dyche's Burnley in third.

The Clarets are riding high in the division in their bid to return to the Premier League and they will be spearheaded by prolific striker Andre Gray, who has 18 goals in 28 appearances this season.

“They're at the top end of the Championship and they have a manager who knows how to get out of the division,” stated McDermott.

“They are well organised and have a goalscorer in Andre Gray and a physical presence up front in Sam Vokes.

“They have players in the middle of the pitch like David Jones and Joey Barton who know their way around, and they have two centre halves who can defend.

“They're a hard-working team with or without the ball and they are the sort of Championship team which gets promoted.”

He added: “Over the past 10 or 15 years, if you put a similar structure together you will have success.

“Look back to the days of Steve Coppell's Reading team, which was the best team that's ever been in the Championship.

“Look at Wolves teams in previous years and my Reading team that went up were a similar operation. Burnley know what they are doing.”

Reading had three different managers in a 12 month period between December 2014-15 as Nigel Adkins and Steve Clarke were both sacked before McDermott was re-appointed.

And the 54-year-old praised Burnley for being a model club when it comes to showing loyalty to Dyche.

Dyche took them into the Premier League in 2014 and, despite relegation the following year, he kept his job.

Now McDermott feels Burnley are reaping the rewards.

“They've got a really good manager,” he stressed. “They were relegated out of the Premier League but they kept him and rightly so.

“Now he's built a team again and that's what being a Championship manager is about – building a team.

“This year they have a great chance of being promoted again and I think it's brilliant what they are doing at Burnley.

“I love what they are doing and I love the fact the owners have been really supportive to the manager.

“I'm sure the owners here will also be supportive so we can build something here.

“We have a vision and if hopefully we will be in the situation at the top of the Championship and battling to get back ino the Premier League.

“That's what the owners want. They are also working their socks off and they are really keen to see where we can get to.”

Reading are without a win in five league games going into Saturday's fixture.

However, Royals won 2-1 at Turf Moor to go third in the table back in September when Clarke was still at the helm. Lucas Piazon and Nick Blackman scored the goals that day.