Loader facing fitness test for Reading

Reading striker Danny Loader is a doubt for this weekend’s visit of Blackburn due to an illness he suffered earlier in the week.

On-loan Chelsea defender Matt Miazga has returned to first-team training following a hamstring injury that kept him out of the Royals’ defeats to Charlton and Middlesbrough but is also doubtful.

Tyler Blackett was an unused substitute for last weekend’s loss at the Riverside and is pushing for some game time against Rovers.

Fellow defender Jordan Obita is nearing a first-team return.

Lewis Holtby could make his Blackburn debut after signing a two-year deal at the club earlier this week.

The former Tottenham midfielder was a free agent after leaving Hamburg when his contract expired over the summer.

Fellow midfielder Jacob Davenport is in contention after returning to first-team training following an injury in pre-season but striker Ben Brereton remains on the sidelines after a minor operation on his knee.

Dominic Samuel could also make the squad having not played a first-team game for more than a year because of a cruciate knee ligament injury. The forward has been in good goalscoring form for the under-23s.