After suffering back-to-back defeats in the Championship to Luton Town and Watford, Nottingham Forest will be determined to get back on track tomorrow when they host Reading at the City Ground.

Currently 17th in the second-tier standings, the Reds will extend the gap between them and the relegation zone to 11 points by beating the Royals.

However, Forest manager Chris Hughton will know that if his players are not at their very best this weekend, they could suffer another setback against a Reading side who are fighting for promotion to the Premier League.

Six points adrift of Watford who occupy the second automatic promotion spot alongside runaway leaders Norwich City, the Royals enter their clash with Forest brimming with confidence after securing a 3-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday last weekend.

Whilst long-term absentees Harry Arter and Scott McKenna are both available for selection after overcoming their respective injuries, Reds midfielder Fouad Bachirou is set to miss out due to an issue with his hamstring.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of tomorrow's fixture, pundit David Prutton has predicted that Forest's lack of goal-threat combined with Reading's recent up-turn in form will result in a 1-0 win for the visitors.

The 39-year-old said: "Scoring goals has been a problem for Nottingham Forest.

"Under Chris Hughton they tend not to win by many or lose by many.

"The door is still ajar for Reading to make a push for second.

"A couple of slips from the sides above them and a win at the City Ground would get them right back into the thick of the mix."

GIVEMESPORT's Joshua Cole says...

When you consider that Forest have only managed to score 28 goals in 35 league games this season, they may find it difficult to breakdown a Reading side who have kept three consecutive clean-sheets in the Championship.

Having already lost to Reading at the back end of 2020, the Reds could suffer the same fate this weekend if they cannot resolve their attacking issues at the City Ground.

However, by keeping the game tight until the closing stages, there's at least a chance Forest may be able to pick up a morale-boosting result on Saturday. If they're in the game, anything can happen. While not exactly the most insightful game plan, it does appear to be the best way to go given their attacking problems. 

Providing that they can avoid defeat at the hands of Reading, Hughton's side could use the momentum gained from this result to push on in their battle for survival.