MALCOLM Shotton has warned his Oxford United players he won't stand for any signs of complacency as they take on relegation candidates Reading at the Manor Ground tonight (7.45).

United are flying high with their 5-1 crushing of bottom club Stoke City on Saturday coming on top of their tremendous 2-0 win at Manchester City seven days earlier.

At the same time, injury-ravaged Reading slumped to their eighth defeat in nine games in all competitions as they crashed 4-0 at Sheffield United on Saturday.

A home win looks a banker bet, but Shotton isn't taking anything for granted and he has made it clear he doesn't want to see any of his players taking it easy.

"If they do, they will get an almighty bollocking," he roared. "I won't stand for that.

"I am looking for another three points. I am not bothered what Reading are thinking. I am only bothered about how we perform."

Victory tonight would take Oxford up to the magical 50-points mark - usually regarded as the total needed for Division 1 survival. But Shotton wasn't interested in that and said he hadn't set his players any targets. "My only target in mind is winning tonight," he added.

Shotton has been liable to spring a surrpise in his team selection - such as the recall of two-goal hero Matt Murphy to the attack on Saturday.

But, although he wasn't giving anything away as far as tonight goes, it would be a shock if he made any changes after such an emphatic victory.

In contrast to United, Reading have all sorts of problems.

Their three goalkeepers - Nicky Hammond, Steve Mautone and Sal Bibbo - are all out injured and on-loan Chelsea keeper Nick Colgan has let in 13 goals in four games.

Also on the easy list are Carl Asaba and Lee Hodges, who scored the goals in Reading's 2-1 win over Oxford at Elm Park in September, along with Jason Bowen, Trevor Morley, Barry Hunter, Dariusz Wdowczyk and Keith McPherson.

Striker Martin Williams is expected to play despite having three stitches in a cut above his right eye on Saturday.

Former Oxford favourite Ray Houghton, now player-coach at Reading, is likely to be on the bench.

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