Mark Bowen will take charge of his first Reading game this weekend and will be desperate for a first win to get his managerial career at The Madejski Stadium off to a promising start.

Reading are currently stuck in the relegation zone, in 22nd place and stuck there on goal difference, after 11 games and gaining just the eight points under their former manager Jose Gomes, who was sacked last week.

Reading have lost four out of the last five league games and will be determined to pick up some form now and pull themselves away from the relegation zone, and here are two tweaks that Bowen should consider making to the side ahead of the clash with Preston North End...

Start Lucas Joao

Experienced Championship striker Lucas Joao, who has had a fruitful spell with fellow Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, will be wanting a start in the Royals side to try and allay the club's fears of not being able to put the ball in the back of the net.

Joao could work well alongside Championship newcomer and Romanian forward George Puscas, who is creative and more of a threat when he gets on the ball from deep for Reading, with Joao's height and movement off the ball complementing just what Puscas would be looking to do himself.

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Neither have been great so far this season but perhaps with a new start they can start firing.

Go wide

Reading may be more suited to a 4-3-3 if they were to switch to it. The forwards have plenty of running in them and could work wonders for the Royals, with the pace down the flanks and Joao's ability on the ball helping them link up together.

The Royals appear to have isolated their wing-backs lately when using the 3-5-2, with the wide players not having enough support out wide while on the ball and then struggling to deal with the opposition attacks as one of the only players defending the wide areas when two players can easily double up to join the attack.