Striker Darren Bent is Town's only real doubt ahead of Saturday's trip to Reading, the England U21 picked up a foot injury against Derby last weekend. Jim Magilton and Shefki Kuqi are set to return to the starting line-up after starring roles from the bench against the Rams.

Bent's knock was expected to have progressed quicker than it has up to now, and he has not trained this week. Town will assess how he is on Friday before making a decision on whether to include him in the squad. Manager Joe Royle says there would have to be a big improvement for him to be involved at the Madejski Stadium.

Central defender Drissa Diallo will not be in the squad at Reading but would be available for selection in an emergency, despite receiving a cut to the head in yesterday's reserve friendly.

With three experienced central defenders fit, the Guinean international is being time to get more games under his belt and will be play for the reserves at Wimbledon on Wednesday.

Full-back Chris Makin is back in training but it will be a month before he is back playing after his recent thigh operation.

Flu-victim Ian Westlake is back in contention after missing out against Derby last weekend. Royle has a choice between the Clacton-born youngster and Martijn Reuser for the left midfield berth.

Reserve keeper Lewis Price, who would have played for the first team against Derby last week, is back in training after a finger ligament injury but is two or three weeks away from a return to action.

Short-term signing Nathan Abbey will continue as sub keeper until his spell with Town is up. With Andy Marshall back at the club after his loan with Wolves, the Blues will not be renewing Abbey's contract.

The trip to Reading sees Joe Royle come up against two old friends in manager Steve Coppell and Royals' striker Shaun Goater. Royle knows Coppell from their schooldays: “We went to the same two schools in Liverpool. He was four years behind me and went on to university.

“We're good mates, we've been friends a long time and he's always done a good job. I don't think they'll be far away at the end of the season. I liked them last year as a side, and Steve knows what he's got to do there.

“They're not on the best run at the moment, the 3-3 draw at Preston last week interrupted a few defeats, but it's not an easy game. I said when we played them at the beginning of the season that we would both be amongst the best teams in the division and that's just about right.”

Royle says that Goater, recently awarded an MBE for his work both in football and for the community in Bermuda, is someone to be cautious of: “Beware the Goat! The Goat's back and scored last week, so I'll have to pay my old mate all due respect.

“He's terrific. I got letters for six months after I signed him telling me he wasn't good enough for Manchester City, and he ends up a Man City legend.

He got three in six even in the season we were relegated. People said he wasn't good enough for the Second Division and he scored 30-odd goals. Then they said he certainly wasn't good enough for the First Division and he got another 30!

“He's enjoyed proving people wrong, and was even scored goals at a good rate in the Premiership, although his season was interrupted by a cartilage operation.

“The MBE was fantastic. He's made the best of every ounce that he's got and he's a gentleman. It's nice to see one of the good guys doing well. I'm not surprised that, according to all the reports, he was their best player last week at Preston.”

Royle has been impressed with his Town side on their travels of late: “We've been fairly decent away from home. We've lost our last two home league games but we've been very consistent away from home.

“I don't know whether sometimes it's a little bit easier for us away from home. In both the Norwich and Crystal Palace home games we pressed more than the other side, although not always with great conviction. Possession-wise we pressed more, but we couldn't score the goals.

“At home we've seen a number of sides this season who have barely left the edge of their own penalty area, and they are making it hard for us. I think if anybody wants to come and play us at Portman Road we're happy, but we just lack a little bit of guile sometimes at home, whereas away from home we've got great pace and running power.”

Despite his side having scored more goals than any other in the division, Royle is asking for his strikers to take more chances: “I think we can be more clinical. To say that we're the leading scorers is one thing, but I think we're the leading miss-makers as well in terms of chances.

“That goes back to the first six games of the season when we couldn't score but should have been the leading goalscorers even then. It would appear that making opportunities is not the biggest problem, but we've not always scored when we've needed to.

“A second goal against Crystal Palace would have killed the game, and we had our chances. So, I would like to see us that little bit more clinical and carry on improving from last week's defensive display against Derby, which was good overall.

“The legendary clean sheet, which we've not had too many of, would be good. I feel that of we stop the opposition scoring, I do think we are always capable of goals. I think I'm right in saying we're the highest goalscorers home and away, which backs up the theory that we go to go and beat sides.”

“Reading is a tough game, but West Ham was a tough game, and we'll go there to try and win it.”

The Royals currently have striker Nicky Forster on the sidelines with a stomach muscle injury. The former Birmingham man, who scored a hat-trick in the corresponding fixture last season, is definitely out of Saturday's game.

Into his place comes Dave Kitson, recently signed from Cambridge United, who will make his debut for the Royals.

Saturday's referee is Michael Ryan from Preston. So far this season he has shown 59 yellow and six red cards in 20 games. He has not previously refereed a Town game.

Fans are advised to try to arrive at the Madejski Stadium early as Town supporters travelling both by road and train/bus were subject to delays last season, large numbers arriving after kick-off.

Likely Town squad: Davis, Abbey, Wilnis, Richards, Naylor, McGreal, Santos, Magilton, Bart-Williams, Wright, Reuser, Westlake, Miller, Couñago, Kuqi, Bent/Bowditch.

Photo: Action Images

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