Reading will look to return to form away at Nottingham Forest tomorrow as they attempt to stave off the threat of relegation.
After fortunes looked to turn in the Royals favour mid-way into last month with back-to-back wins over Preston and Birmingham, the away side have now lost their last two games. A 4-1 loss to Blackpool and a 1-0 defeat to Millwall last weekend means they have now lost two games on the bounce.
Sitting 21st in the table, Reading are five points above financially hit Derby therefore any result at the City Ground will do wonders for their season. However, Forest are going to be a difficult team to break down having only conceded 34 goals this season, the joint fourth best in the division. The Reds also sit 10th in the table, five points off the playoffs.
Form
Since Paul Ince took charge, the Royals have won one and lost two, with a heavy defeat to Blackpool the only away match of Ince’s reign so far.
Last time out the team lost 0-1 to Millwall at the SCL Stadium, with former Academy graduate Jake Cooper notching for the Lions.
Reading sit second bottom in the form table over the last 10 matches, picking up just seven points.
Last five: LLWWD
Team News
Ince was delighted to announce that midfielder Josh Laurent and defender Scott Dann are both fit to play some part at the City Ground this weekend.
However, attackers Alen Halilovic and Femi Azeez will not be fit for at least three weeks.
Talisman Yakou Meite will be involved but is not fit for the 90 minutes while February Player of the Month, Lucas Joao, has had a bout of sickness earlier in the week and so is a doubt.
Orjan Nyland is in line to make his first Reading squad appearance, having joined as a free agent yesterday.
Last Time Out: Reading 1-1 Nottingham Forest; Saturday, November 20
Former Crystal Palace defender Dann notched a second half equaliser against Chris Hughton’s Tricky Trees before Christmas.
Philip Zinckernagel opened the scoring inside the first five minutes, but a positive second half earned Veljko Paunovic’s side a point against the struggling Reds.
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