Reading manager Nigel Adkins has been forced to shuffle his side, with Danny Guthrie missing out for today's visit to Vicarage Road.

Guthrie is nursing a calf injury, so Hope Akpan makes his first Championship start for the Royals.

Despite losing Guthrie, Adkins has midfielder Jobi McAnuff back as his side aim to pick up their first win in five.

There is a return to the Watford starting lineup for Daniel Pudil, while Fernando Forestieri and Davide Faraoni are among the Reading substitutes.

Back-up keeper Jonathan Bond has been ruled out of the game through illness, so Gary Woods gets a call-up to the bench.

Watford: Almunia, Doyley, Angella, Ekstrand, Bellerin, McGugan, Merkel, Murray, Pudil, Fabbrini, Deeney
Subs: Woods, Battocchio, Forestieri, Hall, Faraoni, Iriney, Nosworthy

Reading: McCarthy, Gunter, Gorkss, Pearce, Williams, Obita, Akpan, McAnuff, McCleary, Pogrebnyak, Le Fondre
Subs: Federici, Kelly, Cummings, Hector, Drenthe, J Taylor, Blackman