WITH just one win in their last ten competitive games, it is perhaps surprising that Reading could have gone fourth in the first division if they had beaten Leicester on Tuesday night.

Instead, the 3-1 defeat left them without a win this year and knowing that a whole host of clubs, including Burnley, are ready to push them out of the play-off picture.

Having won promotion last season, Alan Pardew's side quickly adapted well to life in Division One and the current position in the table owes much to a run of six straight wins that saw no goals conceded.

At the heart of that sequence, and in the heart of the defence, was former Arsenal player Matthew Upson, but his loan move ended and the Royals have not been the same side since.

Pardew did go out and bring in experienced defender Steve Brown from Charlton and he is hoping to be fit to face Burnley having limped off with a knee injury at half time in midweek.

Skipper Adie Williams looked a little rusty in his first game back after injury and the Reading boss may consider bringing back fellow defender John Mackie who was suspended on Tuesday.

But the big problem has been at the other end of the pitch where they have struggled to score goals with Nicky Forster and Jamie Cureton joint top scorers with just seven apiece.

In fact, Reading have netted just 29 times this season and only the bottom two of Brighton and Sheffield Wednesday have scored fewer.