Reading v Middlesbrough - Neil Warnock wants repeat pivotal week displays

Boro are seeking to re-establish their play-off credentials after a difficult spell. A midweek win over Huddersfield was a start, but success at Reading would prove they are deadly serious again.

It is a start of another pivotal week for the Teessiders and after successfully negotiating a teak-tough week back in the autumn against the Royals, Bristol City and Cardiff, they are seeking to produce a timely response again against the same opponents.

Warnock said: “Reading is a place where I usually have traumatic (emotional) times, good and bad. I have had some ‘barneys’ there!

“I thought it was the vital result for us last year. It is never easy at the Madejski and they have some great players and it will be a very good test for us and I am looking forward to it.

“With the strike force they have got, it is as good as any in the division. But when we played them at our place, I think they’d won every game before they played us and we did quite well.”

The return of Ashley Fletcher and Grant Hall certainly helped Boro’s cause in midweek and the availability from the start of games for the former adds a physical aspect to the club’s forward play, according to Warnock.

He added: “Ashley is not a natural, but does hold it better than most players. He gives time for Duncan (Watmore) to make runs and (Neeskens) Kebano as well and he brings players in.

“You could tell the other night that him and Grant had been out for a while. But they enjoyed being back in as it is hard work training every day when you have nothing at the end of the week.

“These two have had a great boost now with their performances and they will hopefully continue for the rest of the season.”

Warnock believes that some Huddersfield players were not punished for some ‘devious’ challenges in a game which saw Paddy McNair dismissed, only for Boro to win their appeal.

Warnock said: “There is a picture of Jon Howson’s foot, having been topped by a player who should have been booked. If you saw his ankle, it was like a balloon and black.

“They are the ones that referees should be looking at and are difficult to spot. Not the Paddy McNair’s. It is the devious ones and we had two or three of those and no bookings whatsoever.”

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click HERE to subscribe.