Reading test is a huge one for Birmingham
City's loss at Preston North End was made even worse by the fact that virtually everyone else up near the top won.
That's not good for Blues as you want to keep that bit of breathing space and it's a massive, massive game now against the Royals.
Reading are right on Birmingham's coat-tails now, just one point behind and one thing Alex McLeish wouldn't want is the lottery of the play-offs.
The play-offs are the best way to go up if you actually win them but you don't want to risk that – the fans, players and staff will want to go up automatically.
The way Reading are closing the gap makes this game even more important than the derby against Wolves a couple of weeks back.
I didn't get to see Blues' game at Preston on Saturday but the reports I was given on it were not good.
I've heard it was a poor performance and even though Preston are doing well at the moment, it should have been a game that Birmingham were looking to get all three points from.
As a player defeats are bad enough anyway but it's worse when you get bitten right at the end.
A 1-0 loss is 1-0 regardless but when it's in the last minute, it puts you on even more of a downer.
Apparently the defending wasn't great for their goal and I do think Blues still need another experienced central defender.
That is probably one of the priorities for the January transfer window but you never know how much money, if any, the manager will be given to spend.
Blues are a little bit inconsistent at the moment and it's important they eliminate that with the big Christmas and New Year period coming up.
They don't want to be any lower than where they are now come January – because it's around that time you get a clear picture of who the movers and shakers are going to be.
And ideally, they don't want to be looking down and worrying about third place, they want to be looking upwards and chasing Wolves for top spot.
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