Veljko Paunović calls on Reading to cut out this trait against Sheffield United

Reading have let in the opener in the third and fourth minutes of their last two games – nevertheless recovering to pick up four points, against Birmingham and Nottingham Forest.

That represents an upturn in form for the Royals, who had lost four straight games before that before their six-point deduction was handed down by the EFL.

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Despite that, they could go ahead of the Blades in the table with victory on their home turf – and Paunović, speaking after the Forest draw at the weekend, said: "We made it tough for ourselves by conceding the early goal. And this was the second game in a row that we've done that. It's avoidable and something that we will have to look at again.

"We must not put ourselves in situations where we have to react and have to deal with extra adversity at the beginning of the game.

"But we played some good football today and our style was our strength. Maybe we should have been much more clinical in the final third and more ruthless."

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United could come up against the physical prowess of Andy Carroll in Reading, after the former Newcastle and England striker signed a short-term deal in Berkshire.

He came off the bench for half an hour against Forest and Paunović, who will go up against fellow Serb Slavisa Jokanović, said: "He brought a pedigree on the field with him.

"And his leadership, experience and communication with the guys around him."

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