Reading manager Veljko Paunovic wants his side to build a ‘new momentum’ after they ended their losing run with home win against Bristol City last Saturday.
Once again, Reading are in the spotlight of the Sky Sports cameras, which they have become accustomed to in the last few weeks with several games featured on TV due to their excellent form early in the season, with another 12.30pm kick off on the horizon on Saturday.
Paunovic’s team are fifth place in the Championship heading into their midweek clash with Wednesday, while Forest are in 21st before they host Watford.
Forest’s poor form has already seen them make a drastic change this season as manager Sabri Lamouchi was sacked after their disappointing start to the season.
They had looked bound for the play-offs last season under Lamouchi but a dramatic dip in form after the restart saw them fall out of the top six on the last day of the season, finishing seventh in the table.
Chris Hughton replaced Lamouchi in early October, but has yet to recover their form despite breaking a run of seven straight defeats under the previous boss – the club’s worst run in 48 years.
Forest will be hoping to stop the rot having lost their previous three fixtures in the league without scoring a goal, with defeats against Swansea City, Bournemouth and Barnsley.
It was a thriller when the team’s last met at the Madejski, in January 2020 filled with late drama.
Ben Watson must have thought he had stolen the points for Forest with a 96th minute goal to stun the Royals. But remarkably, the Royals hit back with what was virtually the final kick of the match as Tobias Figueiredo turned the ball into his own net from Jordan Obita’s cross in a dramatic ending to the match.
The side’s also drew 1-1 in their last meeting, also in the same month, at the Forest Ground, in another contest with two late goals.
Lewis Grabban opened the scoring with just 10 minutes to play, but Sam Baldock earned Reading a draw with an equaliser just three minutes later.
The Royals are still without John Swift, while Andy Yiadom suffered another injury setback having recently made his return.
Meanwhile, George Puscas is expected to be sidelined for several weeks with a hernia injury.
