PAUL Clement insists his Reading FC side do not fear playing at Madesjki Stadium as they prepare to host Millwall in a vital clash tomorrow (3pm ko).

Royals have collected just one win from six home league games this season and three points from a possible 18.

Clement's men were booed off the pitch last time out at Madejski Stadium after falling to a 1-0 defeat to Queens Park Rangers.

However, Royals’ boss stressed: “I don’t get that fear of playing at Madejski and nor do I get it from the players.

“The impetus falls on the home team to attack and sometimes we’ve been a little too open.

“Away from home we are so much more compact and we concentrate on doing the job defensively. If you do that well you will have more of the ball and make it harder for the opposition.

“But we have to be careful not to open up too much, we need a balanced performance where we are strong defensively, organised and good at set plays as we’re playing a Millwall team so strong in that department.”

Reading's last fixture before the international break was a 4-1 loss at West Bromwich Albion - their heaviest defeat of the season.

Royals sit 21st in the Championship table with fellow strugglers Millwall one place higher with one more point.

Clement has a number of injury concerns ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, Sam Baldock and Saeid Ezatolahi among those likely to miss out.

Reading Chronicle:

Saeid Ezatolahi picked up an injury on duty with Iran.

Clement, whose side face trips to Birmingham City and Swansea City next week, added: “We’re playing the team immediately above us so the result will have an immediate impact on the table.

“It would be great to see a good performance, win against one of our rivals and see out league position shift.

“There are nine points available this week and my mentality is to get all of them, but we are focussed on Millwall.

“It’s a three-game week, two of them away and we’ve been better away. But the focus is on Millwall. It’s been two weeks since we played after a disappointing result against a strong West Brom side.

“The first half was perhaps the best we’ve played over 45 minutes but we’ve got to do better, particularly at home where we’ve lost too many games albeit by a narrow margin.

“We need another performance like the Hull one, but this I going to be a tough game. Millwall may have some issues and one place above us, they’re still a good side and beat Aston Villa in their last game.

“They were really strong last season, a big, physical side and they’re comfortable with their style. We have to stand up to it but we’re the home side and we need to take the initiative and get on the front foot.”

He continued: “I’m a coach who likes his team to play well and put in place the ideas we work on and show that identity, but sometimes you don’t get that.

“At the moment, if the choice was to play well and draw or play not so well and win I’ll take the win because it will help everybody.

“You can go a goal behind, it’s football, so you need a strong mentality. It’s just a scoreline, not a result.

“Many teams respond well to going behind. You don’t want to, but it can happen.”

Millwall boss Neil Harris could welcome back defender Shaun Hutchinson, though Mahlon Romeo is doubtful due to a thigh injury.

Former Royals defender Jake Cooper is likely to start for the Lions while Jem Karacan could be included in their squad.