READING FC boss Jaap Stam refused to admit his team are targetting a place in the top six of the Championship this season.

Royals recorded a fourth successive league win and clean sheet on Saturday after easing to a 3-0 home victory against Burton Albion.

Goals from Dominic Samuel, Danny Williams and a John Brayford own goal secured the victory that moved Reading up to third in the table.

Suddenly, Royals are being lauded as genuine promotion contenders, even though earlier in the season Stam said he did not think his squad was capable of challenging for the play-offs and that his main focus was to improve on last season's lowly 17th-place finish.

"Its good to win games and to get points," said Stam. "There are a lot of games to be played in this league.

"Its good for us to win as many games as we can and hopefully we can stay up there. We are not aiming for third or fourth place, we just want to do well.

"Of course everyone is happy.

"We don't look at the league we just look at it game to game."

Stam, known a former defender at some of Europe's elite football clubs including Manchester United and AC Milan, said he was pleased with his team's run of four league games without conceding a goal.

However, the Dutchman said he would be happy to see opposing teams score as long as his players score more.

He added: "I would rather win games than look at the clean sheets.

"Of course as a defender you don't want to concede goals but I don't think it's only the back three or back four, I think it's the whole team that is defending.

"Everyone is very sharp and focused on what they need to do and it gives us a great feeling to not concede goals, but I would rather win games with three goals and maybe concede one than only have clean sheets and a draw."

Stam was handed a boost on Saturday when Dominic Samuel scored 22 minutes into his full league debut, however Stam revealed that fellow striker Yann Kermorgant could be set for a spell on the sidelines.

"Yann had an injury on his knee," declared Stam. "He got it against Wigan and we are not quite sure how long he is going to be out for.

"It's a former injury he had there and it occurred again.

"He had an injection so he's going to be out for a couple of weeks at least, but we don't know how his knee is going to react."

Reading entertain Bristol City at Madejski Stadium this Saturday (3pm).