Reading vs Birmingham City. Carabao Cup First Round.
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Tuesday 14 August 2018 09:13, UK
Reading will check on Sone Aluko ahead of the Carabao Cup meeting at home to Birmingham on Tuesday (kick-off 8pm).
The winger, who began his professional career with Birmingham, picked up an injury in training on Friday and although he travelled with the squad to Nottingham Forest at the weekend he was not involved.
Defender Liam Moore also missed the 1-0 defeat at the City Ground following the recent transfer speculation surrounding him, but he is expected to be available. Winger Adrian Popa is back in training but Chris Gunter and Dave Edwards are still out.
Birmingham will be without Craig Gardner through suspension.The midfielder starts a three-match ban following his red card at Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Forward Isaac Vassell remains sidelined after a cruciate ligament injury but he is due back in training next week. Goalkeeper Lee Camp will be handed his Blues debut at the Madejski Stadium.
In the last five meetings between Reading and Birmingham, each team has failed to score on three occasions.
Reading have won two of their last three games against Birmingham (L1), as many as in their previous eight combined.
Birmingham are unbeaten in their last four trips to Reading, keeping a clean sheet in each game (W3 D1).
Reading haven't been eliminated in the first round of the League Cup since 2011-12 when they lost to Charlton at the Valley (1-2) - they have won each of their last four first round ties.
Birmingham have lost three of their last four League Cup matches, winning the other 5-1 vs Crawley in last season's first round.
