Reading continued their unbeaten start to the Championship season on Saturday as they drew 0-0 with Neil Warnock's Middlesbrough.

Gareth Ainsworth's Wycombe Wanderers side are yet to win a point, but scored their first goal of the season in Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Millwall.

Team news

Reading are without any new injuries, so could start the same side which took a point from the Riverside, however with the sheer number of matches coming up, Veljko Paunovic may look to freshen the side up.

Defenders Lewis Gibson and Tomas Esteves are both yet to make an appearance for the Royals, and the Porto loanee would be a more natural option at right-back ahead of academy graduate Tom Holmes, who has started in that position for the preview two matches.

Wycombe have a plethora of players returning from injury, most notably 38-year-old Adebayo Akinfenwa, who has never started a  Championship game.

Former Royal Uche Ikpeazu is also in contention to start up-front.

Reading possible starting lineup:
Rafael; Holmes, Moore, Morrison, Richards; Laurent, Rinomhota; Meite, Olise, Ejaria; Joao

Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Allsopp; Grimmer, Stewart, Knight, Jacobson; Wheeler, Freeman, Thompson, Horgan; Kashket, Samuel

Ones to watch

For the hosts, Lucas Joao remains the jewel in Paunovic's crown.

Although he struggled against Boro, he is still on red-hot form and looks the most likely to score for Reading.

Youngster Michael Olise is also growing into his role as first choice midfielder.

The France youth international attracted interest from sides such as Leeds United and Arsenal over the summer and has started the season in equally admirable form, with one goal and two assists so far.

For the visitors, Scott Kashket.

The former Leyton Orient attacker scored Wycombe's first ever goal at second tier level, giving them the lead on Saturday.

He will no doubt be hoping to do the same on Tuesday to give the side their first points of the season.

 

Previous Meeting

These two sides have only met once 12 times in history, the first being in 1976.

Most recently the played each other last year in the opening round of the Carabao Cup, which finished 1-1 and Reading won on penalties at Adams Park.

Welshman Alex Samuel opened the scoring before George Puscas equalised soon after.

Rafael Cabral, making his Reading debut, made two strong penalty saves and Danny Loader, now of Porto, scored the winning spot-kick in front of 3,000 travelling Royals behind the goal.

Overall Reading have won eight, drawn twice and lost twice to the Buckinghamshire-based side, last losing 5-3 in the old Division Two in 1999.

What the managers have said

With this being the first Berks-Bucks Derby at Championship level, Paunovic is missing the supporters but is determined to get the right result for the fans.

He told the club website:

"We have to do our best to be ready. We always want to win the game and get three points – no matter who we play,” Pauno continued.

“And we know that we have to respect every opponent and keep our feet on the ground.

“We’re missing our fans right now when they can’t attend the games. But it is what it is; we will not have that advantage playing at home.

“But we know what is at stake and what we have to do – and we will try to do it.”

Despite losing five on the bounce, Ainsworth is still confident that Wanderers can turn it around, starting in Berkshire on Tuesday.

He told the media after the defeat to Millwall on Saturday:

"We have signs in the dressing room that say ‘it’s hard to beat a team that doesn’t give up’ and we don’t give up.

“We will never give up and the moment these boys give up and accept defeat is the moment I’m not needed anymore, because we will always keep going, driving and pushing.”

How to Watch

The game can be purchased via either of the club websites for £10, with the fixture being streamed live on iFollow.

It is also available on Sky Sports Football, behind the red button.

 

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