Reading will be aiming to break into the Championship top two when they travel to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

The Royals missed the opportunity to take one of the automatic promotion spots on Wednesday night as they lost 2-1 at home to 10-man Birmingham City.

Match preview

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Reading trailed by two goals at half time against the Blues, but Yakou Meite halved the deficit before Lucas Joao failed to provide an equaliser when his 71st-minute penalty was saved.

The result has left Veljko Paunovic's side in fifth and one of four teams sat on 30 points in an immensely tight promotion battle.

The Royals have only won one of their last six away games and have not kept a clean sheet on the road since the middle of October.

Their recent record at Loftus Road does not bode well either, as they have not won on their last five visits to the Shepherd's Bush ground – last leaving with three points following a 3-1 win in February 2014.

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QPR brought a three-game losing run to an end with a 1-1 draw at Millwall on Tuesday night, but Mark Warburton felt his side deserved to win at The Den.

A superb 20-yard effort from Ilias Chair gave Rangers the lead, before Jon Dadi Bodvarsson's deflected strike meant that the points were shared.

The QPR players celebrated their goal by taking the knee, highlighting how football continues to be a vehicle for change in the fight against racism.

Only Coventry City have conceded more goals this season than QPR (25), who have not kept a clean sheet at home since October.

Queens Park Rangers Championship form: DWLLLD

Reading Championship form: LDWDWL

Team News

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Mark Warburton has admitted that there are "a few knocks and niggles" in his squad, but they will be assessed in the build-up to kickoff.

Luke Amos is QPR's only confirmed absentee, as he is out until 2021 with a serious knee injury.

Lyndon Dykes has not scored in his last three appearances and could be replaced by Macauley Bonne upfront.

Reading may be forced into two attacking changes after Yakou Meite and Lucas Joao both suffered injuries against Birmingham.

With George Puscas already sidelined, this may lead to Sam Baldock's first league start of the season and also mean that Alfa Semedo is brought back into the side.

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Dieng; Kakay, Dickie, Barbet, Hamalainen; Ball, Cameron, Carroll; Osayi-Samuel, Bonne, Chair

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

We say: Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Reading

Reading's chances in this game rest on the fitness of Meite and Joao, as without them, the team would likely be blunt in front of goal. QPR lack the quality to fully take advantage of any absences in the Royals' ranks, but could earn a point on home turf.

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