Reading manager Veljko Paunovic says Omar Richards did not start his side's 2-0 defeat to Watford on Friday night, because he was still feeling the effects of a knock picked up in their win over Derby earlier in the week.

Richards has started that win over the Rams on Monday before being substituted midway through the second half of that game, while it was a reverse situation on Friday, with the 23-year-old starting on the bench before being introduced with 64 minutes on the clock.

Now it seems as though the reason for that, was down to the after-effects of a blow he had picked up in that 3-1 win over Derby at The Madejski.

Speaking about Richards' drop out of the starting XI after that loss to Watford, Paunovic was quoted by The Reading Chronicle as saying: "Omar didn't start because he was still sore from the knock he received (against Derby). We believed we have to start the game without these things on the field."

With Richards absent, Lewis Gibson started at left back on Friday, but endured a difficult evening, with both goals from Ismaila Sarr coming from his area of the pitch.

But despite that, it seems Paunovic will not be too critical of Gibson for events at Vicarage Road, as he went on to add: "Lewis has been so resourceful for the team this season, we were absolutely comfortable with him starting.

"The two goals we conceded was everyone's fault, including myself.  To be honest, this is football. We make decisions and we have to live with that. At this point of the season, it is good to have resources." That defeat at Vicarage Road means that Reading could drop out of the play-off places on Saturday afternoon, if Bournemouth avoid defeat when they host Coventry City at The Vitality Stadium. The Verdict I think this is a sensible approach for Paunovic to take with regards to this whole situation. If Richards is carrying something of a blow from just a few days earlier, then it doesn't make sense to risk making that worse for the sake of one game. It is also good to see him giving his backing to Gibson here, since not doing so will only dent his confidence further and potentially cause a fair bit of frustration within the dressing room. However, with that decision not exactly paying off, it does mean that Reading are now facing something of a nervous wait in the battle for a top-six spot.