Reading suffer Chelsea loanee setback ahead of Birmingham City showdown

Birmingham City know just what it is to go into an important Championship match without key defenders.

Blues are likely to face relegation-threatened Reading on Tuesday night without any fit centre backs, although Lee Bowyer did admit Teden Mengi - absent from Saturday’s draw at Stoke is "day-to-day".

Maxime Colin and Kristian Pedersen performed well at the heart of a Blues back four in which none of the players were operating in their natural positions.

The Royals also have a question mark over a key player after Baba Rahman limped off an hour in their vital 3-2 win at Preston.

The Chelsea loanee is the only natural left-back in the squad and has played 24 Championship games this season.

That leg injury makes him a doubt for Paul Ince’s first game in charge of Reading.

The former Manchester United and Liverpool midfielder was named interim boss after the club parted ways with Veljko Paunovic on Saturday.

Centre back Tom McIntyre came off the bench to replace Rahman at Deepdale - his first action for several months, having not played since sustaining what was thought to be an innocuous foot injury against Coventry City in August.

Reading are five points above the relegation zone in 21st place - with the win at North End their first since November 27.