Norwich City host relegation-threatened Reading at Carrow Road on Saturday afternoon, hoping to secure three points to ease their own relegation fears.

Chris Hughton's side are in 14th place, four points clear of the bottom three after failing to win any of their last six league matches, including last week's 3-1 defeat away to Arsenal.

However, the Canaries are unbeaten in their last six home games, with five of them ending as draws.

Defeat for Reading would move them closer to an immediate return to the Championship. The Royals ended a run of eight straight defeats in all competitions last week when they held Liverpool to a 0-0 draw, which was the first point gained under new manager Nigel Adkins.

Reading sit bottom of the table, 10 points from safety with five games remaining, a deficit which has never been overturned during the Premier League era.

Norwich winger Anthony Pilkington will be available for selection after recovering from a hamstring injury, but Hughton may opt for the same XI which were beaten at the Emirates Stadium last Saturday.

Reading boss Adkins could name the same side from the draw against Liverpool, which would see Alex McCarthy retain his place in goal after his impressive performance against the Reds. Striker Jason Roberts has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hip injury.

Recent form

Norwich City: LDDLDL

Reading: LLLLLD

Possible starting lineups

Norwich City: Bunn; R.Martin, Bassong, Turner, Whittaker; Johnson, Howson, Tettey, Snodgrass, Kamara; Holt

Reading: McCarthy; Gunter, Morrison, Mariappa, Kelly; Karacan, Guthrie; McAnuff, Hunt, McCleary; Pogrebnyak

Sports Mole says: 1-1

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