TOMMY Spurr is set to start at centre back for Blackburn Rovers in this afternoon’s Championship fixture at Reading.

The natural left back is in Rovers’ starting line-up and is expected to play at centre half alongside Matt Kilgallon.

Rovers have lost four centre backs in recent weeks, with Alex Baptiste joining Shane Duffy, Grant Hanley and Doneil Henry on the sidelines.

Jay Spearing was ineligible for Wednesday’s FA Cup replay with Liverpool but returns to the line-up today in place of Corry Evans, while the fit again Chris Brown starts in place of Craig Conway.

Conway and Rudy Gestede both struggled through the Liverpool game with injury. Conway drops to the bench today, while Gestede is not involved.

Simon Eastwood retains his place in goal ahead of Jason Steele.

Former Rovers strikers Yakubu and Nick Blackman are on the bench for Reading.

Rovers: Simon Eastwood, Adam Henley, Tommy Spurr, Matt Kilgallon, Markus Olsson, Tom Cairney, Jay Spearing, Lee Williamson, Ben Marshall, Chris Brown, Jordan Rhodes. Subs: Jason Steele, Yann Songo’o, Darragh Lenihan, Corry Evans, John O’Sullivan, Craig Conway, Paul Taylor.

Reading: Adam Federici, Chris Gunter, Alex Pearce, Nathan Ake, Michael Hector, Garath McCleary, Nathaniel Chalobah, Jem Karacan, Hal Robson-Kanu, Jamie Mackie, Pavel Pogrebnyak. Subs: Mikkel Anderson, Jake Cooper, Hope Akpan, Oliver Norwood, Nick Blackman, Kwesi Appiah, Yakubu.