Palace v Reading

Selhurst Park, Saturday 5.20pm

Steve Coppell

Team news

Crystal Palace could be missing four centre backs for Saturday with Claude Davis, Paddy McCarthy, Matt Lawrence and Jose Fonte all injured.

Austrian Johnny Ertl could make his first league start for the Eagles and play alongside Clint Hill. Nathaniel Clyne and Lee Hills will keep their places at full-back.

Reading 's Glen Little faces a late fitness test on his foot injury after sitting out his side's midweek match. Graeme Murty is out with another calf injury, while Ivar Ingimarsson misses the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Quotes

Roy Hodgson

"It's a probably a game too much for us as we have four centre-halfs out and there's going to be a couple of other players missing too. It's a nightmare. At least we have two weeks off after this."

Steve Coppell

"I spent a long time at Palace, every manager has a huge affection for the place he cut his teeth at. I had nine years on the bounce and various other spells, most memorably when the club was in administration - before it was fashionable to be in administration! It was a very difficult 20 months but the club survived, only because of the spirit within, and the supporters' endurance.

"Neil Warnock texted to welcome me into the 1,000 games members' club! It was very gratfeully received and it was a very nice touch that he took the time to contact me personally.

"At this stage of the season, the emphasis has to be on your own team rather than looking elsewhere.

"We have to look at the way we're playing now and try to emulate the performance at Doncaster on Tuesday night."

Reading - league stats

Position	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
3rd	38	19	10	9	67

Full league table

Reading - current form

Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against
6	2	2	2	7	7

Full form table

Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
30/08/2008	League	Reading	4 - 2	Crystal Palace
20/01/2006	League	Crystal Palace	1 - 1	Reading
13/09/2005	League	Reading	3 - 2	Crystal Palace
06/03/2004	League	Crystal Palace	2 - 2	Reading
20/12/2003	League	Reading	0 - 3	Crystal Palace

All time results

Reading's top scorer

Kevin Doyle - 18 goals

Reading's bad boy

Liam Rosenior - 6 1

Palace old boys

Stephen Hunt. Glen Little and Jay Tabb played for Palace's youth side.

Ref watch

Andy D'Urso

Last meeting

Reading 4-2 Palace

Saturday August 30 2008

Reading: Hahnemann, Rosenior, Pearce, Ingimarsson, Armstrong, Kebe, Harper, Karacan, Stephen Hunt, Long (Noel Hunt, 68), Doyle

Subs not used: Convey, Bikey, Federici, Kelly

Goals: Harper 18, Doyle 68, Doyle 68, Doyle 89

Bookings: Karacan

Palace: Speroni, Butterfield, McCarthy (Lee, 46), Hill, Lawrence, Hills (Scannell, 73), Oster, Soares, Derry (Fletcher, 77), Carle, Andrew

Subs not used: Moses, Ertl

Goals: Carle 37 (p), Soares 64

Bookings: Carle