PAUNOVIC: ROYALS CAN STILL REIGN BARNSLEY NOTTINGHAM FOREST

READING boss Veljko Paunovic has warned Bournemouth his “brave” Championship leaders will be back to their best today.

The Royals have crashed to o three straight losses, including two consecutive 3-0 home defeats. ts.

But they still lead the way. And Paunovic is in confident mood despite the prospect of again being without key men Liam Moore, Yakou Meite and Ovie Ejaria.

He said: “I’m fortunate to have a group of staff and players who are brave and working so hard. With all the talent tl t we have in our team, we will be ready.

“We have to acknowledge we did a good job at the start of the season, but also that there are things we have to improve. And the guys understood that very well.

“We had a bad week of results. But every team in the world can have a bad week, and the mood in the camp is very good.”

Championship: 3pm

JAMES NURSEY

LUKE FREEMAN says Nottingham Forest are determined to continue their winning run and “rocket” up the Championship table.

The Reds have only lost once in seven games since Chris Hughton replaced Sabri Lamouchi as boss.

It has seen them climb out of the drop zone following successive wins aaheadead oof todatoday’s trip to Barnsley. Midfimidfielder Freeman (left) says the international break has sinsince given Hughton a cchance to drill the side for the first time. “Back-to-back wins is something you need in this league,” he said. “If yyou can do that, you will rocrocket up this league, so it is sosomething we are looking to continue to build some momentum. “It has been a hectic season so far. We have recharged the batteries and worked a lot on the training ground over the course of the last two weeks. “The days we were in training were very structured and we were working on new things.”