Reading back to full strength

Reading boss Steve Coppell turns to his big guns once again as his surprise European contenders look to maintain their grip on a place in the Premiership’s top six today.

Coppell makes eight changes to the side which secured an FA Cup fifth-round replay at Manchester United last weekend with debutant Michael Duberry, Marcus Hahnemann, Graeme Murty, Steve Hunt, James Harper, Glen Little, Shane Long and Leroy Lita all coming in.

Boro boss Gareth Southgate makes only two changes after last Saturday’s 2-2 FA Cup draw with West Brom as Abel Xavier and Adam Johnson make way for Andrew Davies and the fit-again Lee Cattermole.

The game sees Southgate go head to head with Coppell, who gave him his chance as a player at Crystal Palace, for the second time this season, with the older man having claimed the honours in a 3-2 win on the opening day of the season.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Davies, Woodgate, Pogatetz, Taylor, Cattermole, Boateng, Arca, Downing, Viduka, Yakubu.

Replacements: Jones, Parnaby, Euell, Lee, Morrison.

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Duberry, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Hunt, Sidwell, Harper, Little, Long, Lita.

Replacements: Federici, Gunnarsson, Oster, Kitson, De la Cruz.

Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire)