COPPELL NOT SCARED BY TOUGH START

Reading manager Steve Coppell is hoping for an early indication that the Royals' fairytale is set to continue.

The start to the new Premier League campaign could hardly have been tougher for last term's impressive newcomers, who finished eighth and were just a single goal away from European qualification.

On Sunday they take on champions Manchester United at Old Trafford before playing host to Chelsea in midweek and in a week's time Everton are the visitors to the Madejski Stadium.

Coppell was optimistic his players could rise to those challenges however.

He said: "We didn't get a result from any of these first three fixtures last year, so whatever we get this year I hope will be better than last.

"I'm not saying they are throwaway games and we could play well in all three and still lose, but it wouldn't be the end of the world.

"And if we pick up points from these games, it is a significant indication that we may have moved up a gear.

"In many ways I look upon this week as a 'can't lose' week."

Coppell admitted he had no idea how tough the entire campaign would prove to be, despite having had to field endless questions about the pitfalls of 'second season syndrome'.

He mused: "What is achievement for us? I don't have an answer to that. We will end up wherever we deserve, that's just the way I feel.

"If we are good enough, we will be up the table, if we're not good enough we'll be relegated. And if that's the worst thing that will happen so be it."

Goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann is set to play despite a broken hand that has seen 16 metal bolts and a plate inserted.

Coppell said: "I don't think he's done anything in training in the last week that suggests he is not ready. He has made full saves and wasn't pulling his hand away from anything.

"That is bound to be in his mind until he has played a few matches but he has done incredibly well.

"When he first came back training he couldn't even save a tennis ball, he was still recovering from surgery and here we are six weeks later and people are smashing the ball at him from six yards and he is making saves. So we feel physically he is ready."

Record signing Emerse Fae, the £2.5million capture from Nantes, is not yet ready for consideration but fellow newcomer Kalifa Cisse is in a squad that is also missing Leroy Lita, Bobby Convey, Ibrahima Sonko and Glen Little through injury.

From = football365=