'Let's pick up where we left off' - Holden

City were in full control after the break last weekend, with Potters keeper Jack Butland and the crossbar preventing the hosts from getting back into the game, after Darren Fetcher's first-half strike.

City may have lost the match 1-0, but there were plenty of positives to take from their display.

"The second half performance against Stoke City is what we as a management staff are after, that was us at our best," Holden told BCTV.

"We were on the front foot, with or without the ball, we were aggressive in our play. We got after them, we penned them in for large periods and created chance after chance and the only negative was not putting those chances away.

"That was the only thing which stopped us from winning the game.

"When we analysed the last three games (Brentford, Hull City, Stoke City) we took six points. We would rather the nine of course and we felt that second-half performance against Stoke merited that, but the confidence the lads showed has carried into this week. Training has been sharp and intense."

City will also be backed by a sold-out away end for the trip east along the M4 to the Madejski Stadium.

And the 2,159 supporters can help provide the all-important atmosphere to help encourage the players on the pitch.

Assistant head coach Holden continued: "We will be backed by more than 2,000 fans and in recent season, we have always created a good atmosphere and it is up to all of the players to get the fans behind them, like they did last Saturday.

"The atmosphere in the second half was right up there and our travelling supporters will be looking for a similar performance and that’s exactly what we’re trying to do."