Reading will look to keep their promotion campaign firmly on track when they host Huddersfield Town at the Madejski Stadium.
However, the Terriers could move further away from relegation danger if they win can in Berkshire.
Reading
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For the Royals, their recent form in the Championship is arguably a case of what might have been.
Reading are now without a win in three league games, but managed to hold leaders Brighton & Hove Albion last time out.
However, the Berkshire outfit had also built a strong lead at Fulham before capitulating in the second half to a 4-2 defeat at Craven Cottage recently.
Despite their recent slump, though, Reading still find themselves only one point outside the playoff places.
As with recent weeks, much of the goalscoring burden will fall on Nick Blackman, who has netted nine times so far this season.
However, their relatively prosperous season so far is not just down to having one of the best attacks in the division, as they also have one of the better defences too.
Recent form: WWWDLD
Huddersfield Town
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Chris Powell was quick to pay tribute to his team's performance in their 2-1 defeat against Burnley, claiming the Terriers just ran out of time as they tried to mount a late fightback.
However, the loss leaves Town having won only one of their last nine league games on the road.
Huddersfield are also possibly a little too close to the bottom three for comfort, with the current gap standing at four points.
If they are to move away from the drop zone, then Powell will hope that the likes of James Vaughan and Nahki Wells can find the back of the net for the Yorkshiremen, who have scored just 14 times this term.
Town's defence is far from the worst in the division, but two clean sheets from the first 14 games is something to be improved on.
Whether that record can get better with games against Middlesbrough and Birmingham City, not to mention local derbies with Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday, to come remains to be seen.
Recent form: DLDWLL
Team News
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Clarke is likely to be without midfielder Aaron Tshibola, who missed the game with Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend, due to an ankle injury.
Stephen Quinn will be out of action until the turn of the year after undergoing knee surgery, while Hal Robson-Kanu has been injured since returning from international duty with Wales last month.
Meanwhile, Terriers boss Powell could give a start to teenager Flo Bojaj, who has appeared as a substitute in each of the club's last three games.
Vaughan is available for selection after returning from a ban, but Dean Whitehead is out through suspension.
Reading possible starting lineup:
Al-Habsi; Gunter, Taylor, Hector, McShane; Norwood, Williams, McCleary; Blackman, Sa, Vydra
Huddersfield possible starting lineup:
Steer; Cranie, Hudson, Lynch, Davidson; Vaughan, Huws, Bunn, Carayol; Paterson, Miller
Head To Head
Reading have had the better of previous fixtures with the Terriers and have only lost twice in eight games since the turn of the millennium.
Both of those defeats came last season, when Huddersfield did a league double over the Royals, winning 2-1 at the Madejski in August before winning comfortably at the John Smith's Stadium this February.
Prior to that, Town's last win in Berkshire came in March 1998, where the teams met in the old League Division 1 at Elm Park.
We say: Reading 2-0 Huddersfield
Although Huddersfield have a good recent record against Reading, the Royals are among the top scorers in the league and are well placed to challenge for promotion this season. The Berkshire club should win, despite their dip in form.
Chris O'Keefe
