Reading manager Brian McDermott has called on his players to bounce back quickly from Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Southampton in the Premier League.

The Royals are now six points from safety after Jason Puncheon scored the winner for the hosts at St Mary's.

"I think it is hard to look and reflect straight after the game," McDermott told Sky Sports News. "At the moment, you would imagine there would be a lot of doom and gloom around the place after a loss like that.

"I understand that completely because the second half we did not really do ourselves justice, especially with the ball.

"We know we have to be better than that and we now have another game on Tuesday to pick ourselves up."

Reading return to action in the league on Tuesday when they make the trip to fellow strugglers Sunderland.