Sanchez makes Fulham debut

Lawrie Sanchez had Ian Pearce back in defence for his first match in charge of Fulham.

Sanchez was appointed on Tuesday as Chris Coleman’s successor to help the Cottagers to survival, and his first match was against Reading, the club where he started his playing career.

Pearce had recovered from a foot injury suffered in the match where he scored the equaliser against Portsmouth last month, while Franck Queudrue and Papa Bouba Diop were the other changes in Sanchez’s first starting XI.

Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell, who has been linked with a move, was not in the matchday squad.

Royals boss Steve Coppell used his matchday programme notes to tell fans that he would change his line-up to “determine summer issues with regards to player retention”.