ANTON FERDINAND and Jonathan Bond are set to return to Reading’s squad for the trip to Fulham tomorrow (1.30pm kick-off).
The injured pair have been missing since last month but Steve Clarke confirmed that both have now returned to full training after a spell on the sidelines.
This news softens the blow of losing Hal Robson-Kanu and Stephen Quinn to long-term injuries and the manager is content with the overall fitness of his squad.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Clarke said: “Coming out of the treatment room are Jonathan Bond and Anton Ferdinand and, fingers crossed, Aaron Tshibola, who missed the game in midweek with a groin strain.
“I hope to get at least two or three back on the training pitch (ahead of Fulham) which makes the injury situation quite good.”
Royals will go to Craven Cottage to face a Fulham side with no wins from their last four matches and sitting in the bottom half of the Championship, but Clarke is fully aware of the threats they can pose.
“I think it can come all over the pitch,” he said. “They’ve got a lot of good footballers in their team. They can play through midfield and their attacking full backs are good.
“I like the look of (Moussa) Dembele and Ross McCormack I know very well. He’s a terrific footballer, Ross, if he gets the ball in and around the box he’s dangerous.
“They’ve also got some big lads in their team so they can be a threat at set pieces as well.
Pretty much like every other team in the division, they’re capable of causing us problems.”
With the return of Bond, Ali Al-Habsi’s place could be under threat again but the Omani keeper is relishing the challenge.
“This competition takes us very far,” he said.
“It’s not just keepers, it’s every single player in the team. We have a big squad and great experienced players.
“This competition is good for us. Bondy has played nine games and did very well for the team but got injured. I went in and helped the team to keep doing what they’ve been doing.
“When the team wins it’s not Ali winning, it’s we are all winning.
“The decision is with the manager.”
While Bond, the summer arrival from Watford started the campaign as the first choice, Al-Habsi feels he is just starting to find his own form as he looks to keep hold of his place in the side.
And the stopper says there was one moment in particular which sparked his upturn in fortune after a difficult Madejski Stadium debut against Everton in the Capital One Cup.
“When you are a goalkeeper and you don’t play regularly, you are missing that feeling of the goal and now I have it all,” he explained.
“I played against Middlesbrough, went back home and played two games with the national team and I played Charlton and Rotherham.
“As a goalkeeper you need five games to be back to your best and have that feeling of the games. I have it now and I’m pleased.
“It does not take me a long time.
“Sometimes you need one big save to bring the confidence and I think I had that save against Middlesbrough in the first half with the free kick (from Stewart Downing).
“That’s what I needed.”
Reading’s starting XI (predicted): Al-Habsi; Gunter, McShane, Hector, Obita; Norwood, Williams; Vydra, Piazon, Blackman; Sa.
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