Middlesbrough vs Reading preview - Karanka to recall big guns - 7M sport

Middlesbrough vs Reading preview - Karanka to recall big guns



Posted Friday, August 29, 2014 by PA

Aitor Karanka will turn to his big guns once again as he looks to re-ignite Middlesbrough's Sky Bet Championship campaign at home to Reading.

Karanka made six changes for Tuesday night's 3-1 Capital One Cup victory over Preston, which came three days after a 3-2 league defeat by Sheffield Wednesday in which his side had trailed 3-0 at the Riverside Stadium.

Dimi Konstantopoulos, James Husband, Seb Hines, Adam Clayton, Emilio Nsue and Bradley Fewster all started in midweek, but Tomas Mejias, George Friend, Kenneth Omeruo, Grant Leadbitter, Adam Reach and Kike will hope to return.

Wide-man Nsue is struggling with the back injury he picked up against Preston, while hamstring victims Jonathan Woodgate and Ben Gibson are unlikely to be risked.

Oliver Norwood returns to a Reading squad decimated by injuries.

The recent signing from Huddersfield was cup-tied for the midweek Capital One Cup win at Scunthorpe.

But the Royals will again be without Jordan Obita, Hal Robson-Kanu, Stephen Kelly, Danny Williams, Jem Karacan (all knee), Garath McCleary (back), Pavel Pogrebnyak and Danny Guthrie (both calf).

To add to manager Nigel Adkins' problems, defender Shaun Cummings had to go off at half-time against the Iron with a knee injury.



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