Hull City will be looking to triumph for the first time since the start of January when they travel to Reading in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers have lost each of their last five matches in all competitions, although they are still one position above 15th-placed Reading in the Championship table heading into the next set of fixtures.

Match preview

Reading booked their spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup courtesy of a penalty-shootout win over Cardiff City on Tuesday night, with the Royals setting up a fixture against Sheffield United at the start of March.

Mark Bowen's side are currently on a five-game winless run in the Championship, though, including a 1-1 draw against Cardiff at the end of last month.

They actually won four straight league matches between December 21 and January 1 to move up the table but just three points from their last five matches has left them in 15th spot.

Reading are nine points clear of the relegation zone but 12 points off the top six; it is difficult to imagine them pushing up the division in the coming weeks, although they will be hopeful of improving on their 20th-place finishes from each of the last two Championship seasons.

The omens are not exactly terrific for the Royals, though, when considering that they have won just one of their last 11 meetings with Hull in all competitions, which is a run that dates back to November 2005.

The Tigers will enter this match off the back of five straight defeats, though, including their last two in the Championship at home to Huddersfield Town and Brentford, with the latter beating them 5-1.

Not since New Year's Day have Hull picked up all three points in the Championship, which has seen them slip down the table into 14th position, one point ahead of Reading ahead of this weekend's clash.

It was a tough January window for the club when considering that Jarrod Bowen and Kamil Grosicki both moved on, although the likes of Herbie Kane, Marcus Maddison, Mallik Wilks and Martin Samuelsen did arrive.

Despite Hull's recent troubles, they have lost just one of their last four Championship away matches, picking up seven points in the process.

Chris McCann's side also ran out 2-1 winners in the reverse league game earlier this season, while they have only lost once against Reading in all competitions since 2005.

Reading Championship form: WDLDLD
Reading form (all competitions): LDDLDW

Hull Championship form: WWLLLL
Hull form (all competitions): WLLLLL

Team News

Reading are still without the likes of Matt Miazga, Andy Yiadom, Lucas Joao, Danny Loader and Lucas Boye, but Bowen should be able to welcome back some key players for this match.

Indeed, Tom McIntyre should overcome concussion to feature, while Liam Moore and Ovie Ejaria are expected to bounce back from a foot problem and illness respectively to start.

George Puscas, who has scored seven times this season, is also pushing for a spot in attack.

Hull, meanwhile, will welcome Callum Elder back from a calf injury, but Jordy de Wijs and Matthew Pennington remain unavailable for selection, while new signing James Scott is out with an ankle injury.

Jon Toral, Kevin Stewart and Samuelsen are also still on the treatment table, but recent arrivals Maddison and Kane are both pushing for starting spots having appeared off the bench against Brentford last time out.

Reading possible starting lineup:
Rafael; Gunter, Morrison, Moore, McIntyre; Obita, Ejaria, Pele, Swift; Baldock, Meite

Hull possible starting lineup:
Long; Lichaj, Burke, Tafazolli, Elder; Kane, Lopes; Maddison, Honeyman, Lewis-Potter; Magennis

We say: Reading 1-1 Hull City

The Championship table suggests that there is not too much between these two teams, while neither will enter the match in the best of form. We are really struggling to separate them on the afternoon and are therefore backing a low-scoring draw at the Madejski Stadium.