Reading FC could have huge double-weapon - Plymouth Argyle, Huddersfield Town would hate this | OneFootball

Reading would have feared the worst when Jack Marriott got injured, but his replacement has made Royals fans more excited for his return

There's no doubt that Jack Marriott has been one of Reading's most important players this season, and when he went down with yet another hamstring injury in February, many felt their chances of finishing in the League One play-offs were over.

The 31-year-old's presence and clinical nature have meant that Leam Richardson's side haven't needed to be overly dominant to win games this season, as, when presented with an opportunity in front of goal, he takes it more often than not.

Marriott, who signed from Wrexham this summer, has 16 goals this season from just 29 shots on target and an expected goals number of just 6.46, according to Fotmob, and it helped transform the Royals from a side battling down near the bottom when Richardson took over to one knocking on the door of the top six in late February.

When he went down with his second hamstring injury of the season, though, not many people expected Reading to maintain this form without him, and while there were hopes that Marriott could return before the end of the season, it likely wouldn't have been enough to push for a top-six finish.

However, Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan has carried the scoring mantle successfully in his absence, and now, there are many inside the Select Car Leasing Stadium looking forward to seeing what they could do together if Marriott gets the go-ahead to return in the next month, and it could come at a disadvantage to their fellow top-six chasers.

Kelvin Ehibhatiomham is in the form of his life in Jack Marriott's absence

22-year-old Ehibhatiomhan is one of the many players currently in the Reading squad who have come through the club's academy, one which has long been regarded as one of the best in the country.

He's already made over 130 senior Royals appearances, but there has been some frustration among the Reading fanbase throughout his time at the club thus far.

The six-foot-three frontman has never been able to score regularly at senior level, netting five times in 40 appearances in the 2023/24 campaign, and after beginning last season with two goals and an assist in three games, he ended the year with just four goals and three assists in 33.

Because of that, Reading looked to bolster the striker position in the summer, and Ehibhatiomhan has been more of an impact player this season off the back of it. He started just nine times in League One before Marriott's recent injury, and five of those starts came during the 31-year-old's first spell on the sidelines in October and November.

So, when their top scorer was ruled out once again, with the club sitting two points off a top-six place at the time, many saw that as a sign that the Royals were going to fade away and finish just outside the play-offs for the second season running.

That was, until Ehibhatiomhan hit the form of his life, scoring six in the seven games Marriott has been absent from, including a hat trick against Luton Town and a brace against Wigan Athletic last Saturday, to see Leam Richardson's side in the top six going into the Easter Weekend.

Jack Marriott and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan could be a deadly duo for Reading heading into a potential play-off race against Plymouth or Huddersfield

Ehibhatiomhan has scored more goals in the last six league games than he did in the entirety of the 2024/25 campaign, and his nine league goals overall this season match his tallies from the last two years combined.

He's more than carrying the torch and making sure that the hard work Marriott put in front of goal to help Leam Richardson's side become play-off contenders doesn't go to waste. Reading fans are still counting down the days until the 31-year-old comes back, but now they're thinking about what he could do with Ehibhatiomham, rather than on his own.

The 22-year-old is capable of playing off the wing, while Marriott can play just behind the main striker, too, so there are ways around playing them both in the same line-up when both are fit.

If the former Wrexham frontman can make his return before the end of the season, Reading will be given a massive boost in their race for sixth place. And if they still have it by then, it could help them fend off the likes of Plymouth Argyle and Huddersfield Town, who will be trying to take it from them.

Then, with the momentum behind them, they could stake their claim for a place in the Championship next season via a Wembley win on May 24.