Key Battles: Reading FC v Huddersfield Town

Nick Blackman vs Mark Hudson

With the fantastic form our top goalscorer is in at the moment it is no surprise that his battle with Huddersfield captain Mark Hudson will be one to watch. The former Cardiff centre-back has played fifty games for Town scoring two goals. He has been solid at the back for Chris Powell's men earning the captaincy relatively soon after joining.

Blackman has been in incredible form of late scoring nine goals in 14 appearances in the Sky Bet Championship also registering two assists. On the attack, the Royals seem to involve Blackman at every possible opportunity and therefore Huddersfield and Hudson in particular will have to watch him very closely. If Hudson can mark Blackman out of the game, Reading will find it difficult to break through, but if he fails to do so Reading can expect a goal or two as Town's form isn't brilliant of late.

Paul McShane vs Nahki Wells

Nakhi Wells was once watched meticulously when at Bradford City and was even a target for the Royals. Wells signed a four-and-a-half year contract with Huddersfield Town for an undisclosed club record fee and ended his first full season as the club's top scorer with 14 goals. The club's record signing has had a mixed season so far, but looked lively coming off the bench in Town's 2-1 defeat at Burnley on Saturday.

McShane on the other hand has arguably been Reading's best player recently. Ever present at the back and wearing the captain's armband with proud, the Irish centre-back has been almost faultless. McShane will be hoping, however, to put Reading's abysmal second-half display away to Fulham last week behind him with a solid performance today.

Town have scored only 14 goals so far this season and will be looking to add to that. McShane will need to be at his best to keep Nakhi Wells at bay. Wells' pace and trickery will be hard to handle as manager Chris Powell likes to give him a trequartista role.

Another talking point in this battle will also be who partners McShane in defence as Anton Ferdinand is back from injury and could replace Michael Hector.

Oliver Norwood vs Emyr Huws

Influential midfielder Dean Whitehead serves a one-match ban after a fifth booking of the campaign and would have been one to watch for the Terriers. However, former Huddersfield midfielder Oli Norwood will come up against Emyr Huws when facing his old club. Huws, 22, has scored four goals in nine games since joining on loan from Wigan. The pacy midfielder will be looking to add to his tally this evening and it will be Norwood's job to contain him. The Welsh midfielder scored a free-kick against Charlton in September so hard-tackling must be avoided.

Powell's side currently sit 15^th in the Championship with only two clean sheets so far. Town won't purely defend, but it will come as no surprise if they set-up with the aim of keeping a clean sheet. Therefore Norwood will have to be creative and accurate with his passing and attacking play to find a breakthrough. His long-distance passing has been instrumental in Reading's successes of late and Royals' fans will be hoping this continues tonight.