Reading boss Noel Hunt has confirmed that defender Amadou Mbengue missed the New Year's Day win over Cambridge United due to sickness, with the defender believing he 'ate something.'

The popular defender was originally named in the matchday squad but was replaced by Harlee Dean half-an-hour before kick-off.

Dean put in an impressive performance during the 3-1 win at the Abbey Stadium, with Harvey Knibbs and Sam Smith doing the damage against their former employer.

"He thinks he ate something," Hunt confirmed post-match. "At pre-match he didn’t feel great, and I didn’t know that he had thrown up on the bus and then threw up a couple of times in the dressing room. The doctor looked at him and it wasn’t the right call. Harlee came in and was outstanding.

"Louie [Holzman] came back from a disappointment, in terms of being sent off, and had to deal with a lot of pressure in the first half. He dealt with it and grew into the game, and I thought our back four and goalkeeper were magnificent."

Three of the four defenders who started last week's 2-1 win over Mansfield Town missed out, with Michael Craig and Abraham Kanu not starting.

Craig, a makeshift right-back, missed out on the squad entirely while Kanu made an impressive cameo in the second half.

"He was feeling his hamstring a little bit," Hunt commented on Craig. "It was sore yesterday, and we left him at home today."

Reading return to action on Saturday as more than 2,500 Royals make the trip to the capital and Charlton Athletic.