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.