SKIPPER Jonathan Woodgate is one of two changes to the Middlesbrough team looking to win three Championship games in a row this afternoon.

Woodgate, outstanding in the Boxing Day win over Burnley, has been left out completely just three days later so Ben Gibson will play alongside Daniel Ayala at the heart of the defence. 

The only other Boro change sees Grant Leabitter return to the midfield engine room ahead of Richie Smallwood. Leadbitter will provide the experience alongside Dean Whitehead in front of the back four.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1): Given; Varga, Gibson, Ayala, Friend; Leadbitter, Whitehead; Adomah, Emnes, Ledesma, Jutkiewicz. Subs: Konstantopoulos (gk), R Williams, Butterfield, Main, Hines, Carayol, Smallwood.

READING (4-4-2): McCarthy; Gunter, Pearce, Gorkss, Cummings; McCleary, Guthrie, Williams, McAnuff; Sharp, Pogrebnyak. Subs: Federici (gk), Kelly, Le Fondre, Akpan, Robson-Kanu, Blackman, Taylor.