Reading vs QPR preview: Championship clash live on Sky Sports Football

Watch live on Sky Sports Football from 7.15pm on Boxing Day; kick-off is at 7.30pm

Reading face QPR in the Sky Bet Championship on Boxing Day, live on Sky Sports Football.

Team news

Reading will give defender Matt Miazga a fitness test. Miazga missed the 3-0 drubbing of Derby with a hamstring injury and his ability to train has been limited.

Romanian striker George Puscas is out for at least a month because of a shoulder injury. Reading are also missing Andy Yiadom because of a knee problem and he is not expected back until January at the earliest.

QPR keeper Liam Kelly has returned to training after recovering from a thigh injury. Kelly sustained the damage against Leeds on November 2 and while he has made good progress, the Reading game has probably come too soon for his return.

French centre-back Yoann Barbet recovered from his own thigh issue but is now battling a calf problem. Midfielder Charlie Owens continues to recover from knee surgery and is out.

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Recent form

Reading ended a run of three games without a win by beating Derby 3-0 on Saturday. They are now unbeaten in three, having drawn the two before that victory.

QPR conceded a last-gasp equaliser at home to Charlton last time out. They had been beaten 5-3 at Barnsley the game before that.

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Latest highlights

Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Reading and Derby
Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between QPR and Charlton

Opta stats

Reading have won only two of their last 15 league games against QPR (W2 D7 L6).

There have been just eight goals scored in the last nine league meetings with Reading and QPR at the Madejski Stadium, with neither side scoring more than once in any of those games.

Reading have lost three of their last four league games on Boxing Day, including the last two in a row. They have never lost three consecutive matches on December 26.

QPR are winless in their last 19 away league games played on Boxing Day (D6 L13) since winning 1-0 at Plymouth Argyle back in 1967.

There's been 81 goals scored in QPR's 23 league games this season (37 for, 44 ag) - more than any other Championship team.

Reading have averaged 1.64 points per game under Mark Bowen (W5 D3 L3), more than they did under José Manuel Gomes this term (0.73 - W2 D2 L7).

Prutton's prediction

Reading got back to winning ways with a great victory over Derby on Saturday, giving themselves a bit of a gap between themselves and the relegation zone again.

QPR will have been gutted to be denied victory against Charlton at the weekend. They head into Boxing Day in the bottom half of the table, but I still think they're having a decent season. This is a draw for me.

David Prutton predicts: 2-2 (12/1 with Sky Bet)

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