Royals rumble for Shropshire-born Danny Guthrie

The Shrewsbury-born 25-year-old, who went to Thomas Telford School and whose family live in Telford, did not travel to Wearside after telling Reading boss McDermott his "head was not right", prompting a withering response from his manager.

McDermott said the former Newcastle player would have been involved in the match.

The Royals went on to lose the game 3-0 thanks to goals by James McClean, Shrewsbury-born former Wolves striker Steven Fletcher and Stephane Sessegnon.

The defeat leaves them second-from-bottom of the table, six points from safety, while their conquerors move out of the drop zone.

McDermott said: "He made a decision that his head wasn't right to travel.

"Everyone has got to be going in the same direction, that's really, really important for me as a group, and we have had that for a period of time.

"You have to put yourself up to be selected in each and every game, and that means every player.

"His words were his head wasn't right. He would have been travelling."

Asked after his side's loss at the Stadium of Light how he would handle the situation, McDermott said: "Any player has to be part of what we are about.

"We can't deviate from what we have been about over the last three years. We are very much about the group – we have to be.

"We all have to pull in the same direction.

"It's not a conversation for now, but it's something that we need to address before the next game."

Reading host Arsenal on Sunday.

Some Royals supporters were today arguing Guthrie should never pull on a Reading shirt again, branding his behaviour a 'disgrace.'

It is the second time Guthrie has clashed with McDermott after criticising his tactics on Twitter earlier in the season.

Guthrie joined Reading on a three-year deal in the summer on a free transfer after ending his four-year stay with Newcastle United.