Paul Ince set to take charge of Reading for first time against Birmingham

Interim Reading boss Paul Ince has decisions to make ahead of Tuesday night’s Sky Bet Championship fixture against Birmingham.

The 54-year-old former Manchester United and England midfielder, whose son Tom is on loan at the Royals from Stoke, was handed the reins on Saturday evening just hours after Veljko Paunovic’s departure having guided the club to a 3-2 victory at Preston in what proved to be his final game at the helm.

Ince has had little time to run the rule over a squad which won for the first time in 12 league games at Deepdale, where former Rangers winger Brandon Barker made a debut as a late substitute after signing a short-term deal.

Central defender Tom McIntyre was also used from the bench at the weekend for the first time since being sidelined by injury in August, but midfielder Josh Laurent has missed the last two games with an ankle problem and Dejan Tetek, Femi Azeez, Felipe Aararuna, Scott Dann and Alen Halilovic are still out.

Birmingham boss Lee Bowyer will check on Manchester United loanees Tahith Chong and Teden Mengi before naming his team.

Midfielder Chong has not played since October after undergoing thigh surgery, but is back in training and closing in on a return.

Defender Mengi missed Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Stoke with a hamstring problem, but Bowyer does not expect him to be missing for too much longer.

However, Marc Roberts (hamstring), Troy Deeney, George Friend, Scott Hogan (all calf) and Taylor Richards (ankle) are still on the casualty list.