Reading suffer injury blow as goalkeeper 'breaks hand after punching whiteboard'

Reading goalkeeper Rafael Cabral could miss tonight's game with Peterborough after reportedly sustaining an injury in farcical circumstances.

According to reports, Cabral has broken his hand - after punching a whiteboard in the changing room!

It is believed the incident occurred following Saturday's Championship clash with Queens Park Rangers, which ended 3-3.

The Royals were 3-1 up in that game, but proceeded to throw away two points when Andre Gray and Stefan Johnansen netted.

The latter goal came in injury time to ensure spoils were shared at the the Select Car Leasing Stadium. That clearly led to plenty of frustrations among the home side - with Cabral now said to be paying the price for lashing out in frustration.

Rafael Cabral

The Brazilian stopper, 31, has been an ever-present for Veljko Paunovic's side this season.

But if the diagnosis of a broken hand is correct he will almost certainly be missing for this evening's visit of Darren Ferguson's men. Luke Southwood, who has played just one league game for the Royals, will deputise if so.

Reading could do without the stopper's absence as they already boast a lengthy list of injuries that includes the likes of Lucas Joao, Tom McIntyre and Yakou Meite.

High-profile pair Scott Dann and Danny Drinkwater arrived before the transfer window closed, but both are lacking match fitness at present.

Danny Drinkwater is on loan at Reading but is still getting up to match fitness

Reading finished just outside the play-offs last season but have started this term slowly. They have won just one of their opening six and sit inside the bottom three, along with tonight's opponents.

After that demoralising setback on Saturday, Paunovic said: "It's a matter of team attitude and urgency, and knowledge of how to defend.

"We need more leadership at that moment, we need people to step in and win their battles, have the knowledge to clear the ball as far as you can instead of playing one-twos like we tried to.

Royals' chief Veljko Paunovic

"That was pretty childish if I'm honest. You have to feel much more urgency.

"Someone was missing the knowledge, someone was missing the attitude, someone was missing the urgency and at the end of the day that's too much.

"We paid the consequences of that. Someone needed to step up and shout, take the responsibility to push the lines outside, win their battles and see the game [out]."

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