Reading face a tough test to try and end two defeats on the bounce when they host Championship leaders Bournemouth on Saturday.
In front of the Sky Sports cameras (8pm kick-off) at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, the Royals will be hoping to break the Cherries’ unbeaten start to the campaign.
Scott Parker’s side are yet to lost this season, with 10 wins and four draws putting them top of the tree with a four point lead over closest challengers Fulham.
Parker took over at the Vitality Stadium having left Fulham in the summer, where he was relegated from the Premier League with the West London club.
But having joined fellow promotion favourites Bournemouth, Parker and his coaching staff have made a fine start at trying to get Bournemouth back to the Premier League at the second time of asking after last season’s play-off defeat.
Bournemouth had a difficult first season back in the Championship under manager Jason Tindall, who took over after the long reign of Eddie Howe came to an end.
However, Tindall was dismissed from his position in February with the club eight points outside of the top-six.
He was replaced by Jonathan Woodgate who led the Cherries to a stronger second-half of the season which led to them qualifying for the play-off places, where they finished in sixth.
Reading finished just one place and seven points behind Bournemouth last season, but the Royals area already trailing the Cherries by 15 points after 14 matches.
The Cherries came close to bouncing straight back to the top flight but they lost to eventual winners Brentford in the play-off semi-finals.
Bournemouth are in a rich vein of form with four wins from their last five, conceding just once in that time.
They have the meanest defence in the entire league and have conceded just eight times in 14 matches,
They are also the third highest scorers in the division with 24 goals, with superb productivity in both boxes to see them make a flying start.
Striker Dominic Solanke is currently joint second on the list in the goalscoring charts with 10 goals in 14.
Bournemouth got the better of the Royals in their first meeting last season, also live on Sky, with a 4-2 comeback win.
The Royals raced into a two-goal lead in the first-half with a converted penalty from Lucas Joao and a second from Sone Aluko just before the break.
But the hosts came out with a renewed energy in the second-half and produced a stunning display to hit four goals past Reading to take the points as Arnaut Danjuma, Lewis Cook and a brace from Solanke completed an unlikely turnaround.
However, it was Reading who took the points in the last game at the SCL between the sides with goals from Josh Laurent, Tom McIntyre and Lucas Joao to give them a 3-1 victory.
