Barnsley will look to get back to winning ways when they travel to Reading this Saturday.

The Reds currently sit in 22nd place in League One and are winless in nine in all competitions. 

They lost 2-1 at Luton midweek, with half-time substitutes having a positive impact from the bench. 

In terms of injuries, Daniel Johnson is a ‘big question’ according to Danield Stendel. 

Defender Isaac Smith is set to return to training next week and Luca Connell’s three-match ban is over. 

Stendel confirmed Fabio Jalo is out for a long time and Ben Hamed Toure has not returned from compassionate leave. 

As for opponents Reading, they played a day later than Barnsley with a Wednesday night victory over Leyton Orient. 

They are managed by Leam Richardson who was appointed last October. 

The Royals currently occupy sixth place in the table and have the best home record in the division with 13 points from six games. 

They have former Barnsley player Jacob Brown, who won promotion with Stendel in the 18/19 season. 

Last season, The Reds won at Oakwell in this fixture before drawing at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. 

The two clubs have faced off 86 times, with Barnsley winning 29 and losing 32. 

Luca Connell must surely return to the starting eleven to partner Kelly and McGeehan in midfield. It would be harsh on Yoganathan, but the other alternative would be to drop skipper McGeehan which seems unlikely. In this scenario McGeehan may be pushed into the number ten role as Kelly has been a revelation since dropping deeper.

Up front, Kirk has staked a claim to start as the lone striker following his goal at Luton, but Stendel could revert to a 4-4-2 formation meaning a battle between McGeehan and Connell to partner Kelly with McGeehan the likely victor.

In defence is where the most intriguing selection dilemmas are. Kay has to play but the question is where. Possibly at right back allowing Larkeche to come in at left back to give us better balance. This also allows Noslin to be an option to play right wing or drop to the bench.

At centre half it must surely be time for Gale to return to the starting line-up, and I would partner him with Shepherd who has been the best of a bad bunch recently. Both can then also play on their preferred side.

Slicker is a must in goal and obviously Cleary on the left.

Is it a team that can win at high flying Reading? Probably not, but it’s probably the best we can muster as we look to put a halt to this horrendous run of results.

A defeat here and I fear that Stendel’s head could be on the chopping block which would be harsh given the hand he has been dealt but it could also be argued that another manager would be performing better with the tools at his disposal.

Prediction time, and I am going 3 – 1 to Reading but praying that I am wrong and that this is the start of the revival.

COYR