Last season’s beaten play-off finalists have endured an inconsistent beginning to the season but they will provide Daniel Farke’s players will plenty of challenges. Here’s our guide to the Royals.

Summer signings
Manager Jaap Stam added seven new signings to his squad in the summer transfer window with the majority from fellow Sky Bet Championship clubs.

Their marquee signing was forward Sone Aluko who joined from Fulham for a reported fee of around £7 million, having spent the majority of his career in the Championship.

Stam also brought in Modou Barrow (Swansea City, pictured), Leandro Bacuna (Aston Villa) and Vito Mannone (Sunderland) All have recently played in the Premier League.

David Edwards and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson made the transition from Wolves to Reading and Dutch striker Pelle Clement joined from Ajax.

Form guide
After the disappointment of losing out on promotion to the Premier League by the finest of margins last season, Reading have found this campaign tough-going so far.

They are currently 18^th in the Sky Bet Championship and just a point above the relegation zone, having won just two league games so far.

The Royals are winless in four matches and their last victory came in a 2-0 triumph at Birmingham City at the tail-end of August.

Since then, Stam’s men have drawn with Brentford and Hull City and lost to Bristol City and, most recently, Millwall. Two late George Saville goals saw the Lions fight back to win at The Den on Tuesday.

Previous meeting
City inflicted Reading’s heaviest defeat 49 years at the end of last season, thrashing them 7-1 at Carrow Road.

Nelson Oliveira got the ball rolling from the penalty spot on three minutes and City had eventually scored six by half-time with Wes Hoolahan (x2), Alex Pritchard (x2) and Russell Martin on the scoresheet.

In the midst of the first-half barrage, Yann Kermorgant scored a consolation but City had the last laugh when Cameron Jerome netted a seventh with minutes to play.

In the squad
Goalkeepers: Vito Mannone, Anssi Jaakkola, George Legg
Defenders: Chris Gunter, Paul McShane, Liam Moore, Jordan Obita, Tiago Ilori, Tyler Blackett, Tennai Watson, Axel Andresson, Omar Richards
Midfielders: Joey van den Berg, Roy Beerens, George Evans, John Swift, Garath McCleary, Callum Harriott, David Edwards, Leandro Bacuna, Stephen Quinn, Pelle Clement, Adrian Popa, Liam Kelly, Josh Barrett, Ryan East, Andy Rinomhota, Tyler Frost
Forwards: Joseph Mendes, Sone Aluko, Modou Barrow, Yann Kermorgant, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, Sam Smith, Danny Loader

Coral are offering odds of 33/20 for Norwich to beat Reading. Click HERE to place your bet.

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