Reading will be without key man for Sheffield Wednesday clash PLUS the truth on Lucas Joao rumours
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Playmaker John Swift, who was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League last summer, will not make a return to action having suffered a hamstring injury early on in the season.
He is on a long Royals injury list that also includes attacker Yakou Meite, who has an outside chance of recovering from a groin injury that was first feared to have ended his season. Leader and centre-half Michael Morrison will miss out having hobbled out of their win over Rotherham last week.
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Hide AdKey man midfielder Andy Rinomhota will also miss our with a hamstring worry, while versatile Brazilian Felipe Araruna will also miss out.
One player expected to line up against Wednesday is former Owls forward Lucas Joao, who set hearts racing in Berkshire when he was taken off early in Tuesday’s win over Blackburn Rovers. Rumours of an injury flooded social media, though his manager Veljko Paunovic was quick to point out he was withdrawn for tactical reasons.
Joao has been in red-hot form for Reading this season, sitting fourth in the top goalscoring stakes with 17 goals in 28 appearances.
That those goals have come without the likes of Swift in behind him is even more impressive.
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Hide AdOn Swift’s ongoing fitness battle, Reading boss Paunovic said: “It's not a simple injury. It's not in the same part of the hamstring but it's the same hamstring so that muscle has already suffered.
“He is a strong and healthy young lad so the process should work well for him.”