Manchester City boss Joe Royle was shown just how much work he has to do to get his side out of trouble after they slumped 3-0 to Reading.

The euphoria of Saturday's 3-1 win at Swindon soon disappeared as Reading went ahead in the eighth minute and by the end even the loyal City fans were finding it hard to muster support for their beleaguered team.

Although they did have chances to score during the game City always looked second best and Reading could have won far more comfortably.

City's hopes of a Royle revival were in trouble when Tommy Wright made a mistake against the club for whom he played on loan for three months last season.

A superb through ball by Jason Bowen put Carl Asaba in the clear. Asaba's shot struck Wright, but the ball span into the path of Lee Hodges, who had the simple task of tapping it across the line.

On the half hour Reading stretched their lead. Asaba's overhead flick found Martin Williams who chested the ball back into the path of Ray Houghton.

The Republic of Ireland international reacted instantly to lash the ball into the corner of the net for his first league goal since September 1996, and his first for Reading.

Royle's half-time team talk seemed to fire up his side's ambition with Uwe Rosler showing early determination by getting involved in a grappling match with Gareth Davies.

But that burst of enthusiasm quickly fizzled out as Reading strangled the life out of a poor City side.

Full-back Andy Legg, making only his second appearance for Reading since signing from Birmingham, should have put his new club further ahead but lashed a wild shot wide of the post.

Then Houghton almost created the third for Reading with a clever chip into the penalty area where Asaba's header brought a diving save from Wright.

Asaba had the last laugh however, thumping home his 12th goal of the season as the game drifted into injury time.

Teams

Reading: Hammond, Booty, Legg, Davies, Primus, Parkinson, Bowen, Houghton, Williams, Asaba, Hodges (Lovell 45).

Subs Not Used: McPherson, Morley.

Booked: Parkinson, Williams.

Goals: Hodges 8, Houghton 29, Asaba 89.

Man City: Wright, Brightwell (Jeff Whitley 77), Briscoe, Wiekens, Symons, Tskhadadze, Jim Whitley (Russell 52), Brown, Bradbury, Beardsley (Dickov 59), Rosler.

Booked: Symons, Jim Whitley, Dickov, Brown.

Att: 11,513

Ref: A Bates (Stoke-on-Trent).