Reading travel to Brentford on Saturday afternoon seeking their first Championship win of the season.

The Bees have themselves tasted victory in just one of their opening three games, leaving both sides camped firmly in the bottom half of the table heading into this clash.

Brentford

At first glance, the new 'moneyball' approach adopted by Brentford this season, which puts statistics at the forefront of things, appears to have backfired somewhat.

Beaten playoff semi-finalists last time out, it has been a slow start to the campaign for a Bees side with just one win to their name so far in league and cup.

Throw into the mix the departure of top scorer Andre Gray, on top of the earlier transfers of Moses Odubajo and Stuart Dallas to fellow Championship rivals, and the outlook perhaps does not look as positive as it once did.

Brentford still appear to have plenty of spirit about them, though, underlined by twice battling back against Bristol City and turning around a two-goal deficit against Ipswich Town on the opening day.

The defeat to Burnley last time out, which manager Marinus Dijkhuizen put down to his side's inability to finish attacking moves, leaves Brentford in 14th place, albeit having played a game fewer than most of those around them.

Brentford certainly need additional firepower before next week's transfer deadline, with Dijkhuizen himself suggesting that two more new faces could be introduced in that department.

As it is only two sides in the division - Queens Park Rangers and Ipswich Town - have scored more goals than the West London outfit at this early stage of the season.

Yet two of their six goals to date have been scored by the recently-departed Gray, who left for a sum of £9m, while goals have also been shipped at an alarming rate.

Dijkhuizen knows that more needs to be done across the field, meaning that these final few days of the window could prove pivotal from a Brentford point of view.

Recent form (all competitions): DLWL

Reading

Reading have the honour of being the first side to run out on Brentford's newly-laid Griffin Park turf, which had to be rolled out due to the "unplayable surface" in place at the start of the season.

Steve Clarke will just be grateful that the game is going ahead, with specialists being brought in to ensure that the pitch, which combines natural grass with artificial fibres, was implemented before the deadline.

It has been a mixed start to the season as far as Clarke's men are concerned, meanwhile, having made themselves tough to beat without being able to pick up a much-needed win.

Many pundits were split in the summer when offering a prediction of where they expected the Royals to finish the campaign; some suggested another relegation-threatened season was on the cards, while others provided a more positive outlook.

As it is, four games in, it is still just as hard to tell. Defeat to Birmingham City on the opening day has been followed up by successive draws, but with two of those being at home it is hard to see Clarke jumping for joy at this stage.

On the flip side, there is plenty to build on as Reading look to extend their five-game unbeaten streak in all competitions heading into the international break.

Last season's FA Cup run may have hindered the Royals' league prospects, but the midweek win over Portsmouth certainly helped to provide some further momentum to a campaign that appears to be heading in the right direction.

Clarke has remained tight-lipped when asked about further transfer dealings, yet if a push for the playoffs is to be on the cards then a couple of new faces may be required between now and next Tuesday's deadline.

Recent form (all competitions): LWDDDW

Team News

Paolo Hurtado was recently given the all-clear to train with his new Reading teammates, but his debut will have to wait until after the international break due to a lack of fitness.

Pavel Pogrebnyak, crocked on the eve of the new season, waved goodbye to the Madejski Stadium on Thursday afternoon to join Dynamo Moscow.

Garath McCleary made a welcome return in midweek, however, scoring the winner at Fratton Park to provide the Royals with a big boost in midfield.

In terms of the hosts, they can call upon midfielder Alan Judge - a player who has netted three and assisted two more in his last four appearances against Reading.

Jota is expected to remain sidelined for this one, while striker Philipp Hofmann has received the full backing of his manager to replace the void left by Gray up top.

Brentford possible starting lineup:
Button; Bidwell, Tarkowski, Dean, McCormack; Diagouraga, Kerschbaumer; Vibe, Judge, Gogia; Hofmann

Reading possible starting lineup:
Bond; Gunter, Ferdinand, McShane, Obita; Blackman, Norwood, Williams, McCleary; Robson-Kanu, Sa

Head To Head

Brentford won both encounters between these two sides last season - the first time they have met at this level.

The Royals have won just once on their last nine trips to Griffin Park, meanwhile, drawing three and losing five of those games.

Reading have also won just one of their last 14 Championship matches stretching back to last season, while their opponents have conceded exactly two goals in six of their last seven games on home soil.

Video Preview

Hit play below to see what the Sports Mole Sofa had to say about this encounter:

We say: Brentford 3-2 Reading

Reading are still seeking a first win of the campaign, though they have certainly made themselves tough to beat over the past couple of weeks. Their unbeaten run will come to an end in West London this weekend, however, against a Brentford side who should profit from the sleek new surface rolled out.