Mick McCarthy offers injury update on Shayne Lavery, Jerry Yates and Gary Madine after Blackpool's defeat to Reading

And welcome to today’s live blog.

Blackpool make the trip down to Berkshire today as they look to get back to winning ways against Paul Ince’s Reading.

Follow our blog for build-up, team news, live match updates and post-match reaction.

Blackpool will be looking to produce a much improved display when they make the trip down to Berkshire to take on Paul Ince’s Reading.

The Seasiders failed to register a single shot on target in midweek as they slumped to a lacklustre 1-0 defeat to Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers.

The result leaves them 23rd in the table, four points adrift of safety.

With another Lancashire derby on the horizon against runaway leaders Burnley, this feels like another must-win game for Mick McCarthy’s side.

Today’s opponents Reading sit 16th in the table, 10 points clear of safety. Ince’s men have won just one of their last eight league games.

John Brooks is the man in charge this afternoon. The official has overseen 17 games this season, dishing out 66 yellow cards and two reds.

One of those dismissals was given to a Blackpool player - Jordan Thorniley in particul during the 1-1 draw away to Hull City.

Jerry Yates is an injury doubt after he suffered what appeared to be a tight hamstring during the midweek defeat to Blackburn.

If he does miss out, Gary Madine is likely to replace him on the striker’s return from a four-match ban.

Elsewhere, Jordan Thorniley and Lewis Fiorini are both fit and available but the Seasiders are still without Charlie Goode, Marvin Ekpiteta, Liam Bridcutt, Kevin Stewart, Tom Trybull, Keshi Anderson and Jake Beesley.

As for Reading, former Seasider Tom Ince is expected to be fit after recently returning from injury.

Irish duo Shane Long and Jeff Hendrick are back in contention having missed last Friday’s 1-0 defeat at Cardiff City,

Baba Rahman is facing a prolonged spell out because of an ankle injury, while Lucas Joao, Ovie Ejaria and Sam Hutchinson have also been ruled out of Saturday’s game, along with long-term absentees Dejan Tetek and Liam Moore.

Centre-back Tom Holmes will be given a late assessment having missed the past three games with a calf problem.

“They’re a bit like us, but not quite as bad as us because they’re down there. They’re similar.

“They find goals hard to come by and they concede goals, concede possession. But they’ve had some good wins and they started really well.

“They had issues with things to do with signing players, but I look at their squad and I see a decent squad of players.

“Who is fit, I’ve no idea, but they’ve had their issues as well so it’s about us going down there and taking advantage of that.”

“Our home form has been good of course, but let’s not underestimate this Blackpool side,” Paul Ince said.

“They are well-organised, they are hard to beat, they’ve got a new, experienced manager who has had an impact.

“This is a tough, tough game and we can’t be complacent. If we are, we’ll get beat.“They’ve got some very, very good players – Patino on loan from Arsenal, Rogers from City, they’ve got Gary Madine who might be coming back in and we know what a handful he can be. So we need to be on it.

“The message has been clear from the start. This season is about staying in this division and it is a message based on the fact we are operating with one of the lowest budgets in the league, working with a bit of a misfit team which has been patched together according to what the embargo has allowed us to do – so the target has to be to stay in the league.“We knew how tough it was going to be this season and it has been tough. Now, we’ve got to win games.“

We’ve got to keep going. We’ve got to be positive. 14 games to go and let’s see where it takes us.”

Jerry Yates is a doubt after picking up a knock in Blackpool’s midweek defeat to Blackburn Rovers.

If the striker does miss out, Gary Madine could take his place in the side after serving his four-match suspension.

Jordan Thorniley and Lewis Fiorini are both available, but a number of other players remain sidelined by injury.

With that in mind, here’s how we think the Seasiders might line up against Paul Ince’s side...

Reading to win 23/20

The draw 23/10

Blackpool to win 12/5

Odds according to Bonus Code Bets.

Mick McCarthy has made wholesale changes to his Blackpool side for today’s must-win game against Reading.

The Seasiders come into this afternoon’s encounter four points adrift of safety following their midweek defeat to Blackburn Rovers.

McCarthy’s men were well below-par at Ewood Park, failing to even register a single shot on target.

As a result, the 64-year-old has made SEVEN changes.

Andy Lyons, Jordan Thorniley, James Husband, Luke Garbutt, Josh Bowler, Shayne Lavery and Gary Madine all come into the starting line-up.

Madine makes his first appearance since serving a four-match ban.

Jordan Gabriel, Dom Thompson, Kenny Dougall, Charlie Patino, Ian Poveda, Morgan Rogers and Jerry Yates are the seven to drop out.

Yates misses out altogether after picking up an injury against Blackburn in midweek.

He joins Charlie Goode, Marvin Ekpiteta, Liam Bridcutt, Kevin Stewart, Tom Trybull, Keshi Anderson and Jake Beesley on the sidelines.

Lewis Fiorini misses out for the second game running despite making his return from injury against Stoke last week.

As for Reading, they make four changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Cardiff City in their last game.

Former Seasider Tom Ince returns to the starting line-up on his return from a recent injury.