Royals grumbles for Clarke

Posted Friday, December 19, 2014 by PA

Steve Clarke has inherited an injury-hit Reading squad for his first game in charge against Watford.

Winger Hal Robson-Kanu needs a fitness check on a hamstring problem while strikers Jamie Mackie (hamstring) and Pavel Pogrebnyak (calf) are also struggling.

Jem Karacan is back in training after a long-term knee injury but is still some way from being considered while Hope Akpan (shoulder), Anton Ferdinand and Danny Guthrie (both calf) remain on the sidelines.

Clarke could recall defender Alex Pearce, who started on the bench in last Saturday's 6-1 defeat at Birmingham which cost previous manager Nigel Adkins his job.

Watford have a doubt over Joel Ekstrand, who has been sidelined lately with a problem in his lower back and is still being assessed.

Fellow defender Gabriel Tamas is the only definite injury absentee as he continues to recover from cruciate ligament damage.

Back-up goalkeeper Jonathan Bond will be on the bench having been passed fit following a collarbone injury.

Boss Slavisa Jokanovic is likely to stick with the side which recorded successive victories over Fulham and Wigan to get their promotion bid back on track.