Reading boss Brian McDermott will be without captain Matt Mills for the trip to Preston. Mills was dismissed during the 1-0 win over Ipswich in midweek for two bookable offences and will serve a one-match ban at Deepdale. However, McDermott has a ready-made replacement available as Georgian international defender Zurab Khizanishvili will be back in his squad. The on-loan Blackburn man missed the Ipswich win thanks to a one-match suspension but he is back, though midfielder Brian Howard completes a three-game ban of his own. Icelandic midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson will again miss out through a hamstring injury and winger Hal Robson-Kanu is doubtful after limping out late on in midweek. His replacement Simon Church scored the only goal with his first touch and comes into contention for a start, but Jay Tabb (ankle), Andy Griffin and Julian Kelly (both hamstring) are all out.
Source: PA
Source: PA