Glenn Murray was on crutches the last time he appeared on the pitch at the Amex.

Many of the Albion fans attending on Boxing Day will fear their former favourite crippling hopes of a Christmas recovery as the Seagulls try to clamber their way out of the Championship relegation zone.

Murray, on loan from Crystal Palace, will be leading the Reading attack for Steve Clarke's first away match in charge, with his future whereabouts the subject of considerable intrigue.

His four-month stint in Berkshire is due to end on January 1. Reading signed him with a view to making the move permanent but circumstances have changed at both the borrowing and lending club.

Nigel Adkins was manager at the Madejski Stadium when Murray was captured. It is hard to know what impact, if any, Adkins' depature and the appointment of ex-West Brom chief Clarke will have on Reading's intentions.

Palace manager Neil Warnock, meanwhile, hit by injuries to his forward line, added to the uncertainty with remarks he made ahead of Saturday's defeat at Manchester City.

Warnock said: "Glenn's loan ends on January 1. I don't know all the ins and outs yet, but I've asked to have a look at him myself.

"I think both clubs have agreed a fee if they decide to take him but not only have they got to come up with that fee, the player has got to agree it as well.

"I don't think it's straightforward. Put it this way, I'm in no rush for him to go. I would be playing him at Manchester City if he was back at Palace."

Albion are bound to be monitoring Murray's situation as they assess their January options in the wake of Sami Hyypia's resignation.

The 31-year-old target man still lives in Sussex. He was at a panto at Crawley at the weekend with his family and he is still in touch with several of his former Albion team-mates.

They include Elliott Bennett, who, of course, is currently back on loan with the Seagulls from Norwich.

It has been a roller-coaster ride for Murray since spearheading Albion's League One title winning campaign at Withdean in 2010-11 with 22 goals.

There was not much of a rapport with then-manager Gus Poyet and Murray crossed the divide to bitter rivals Palace on a three-year contract.

He, almost inevitably, haunted them with two goals, one a penalty, in a 3-0 defeat for Albion at Selhurst Park the following season.

Poyet's side took revenge by the same score in the return meeting at the Amex as Murray was kept off the scoresheet.

Ironically, his 31-goal debut campaign in Palace colours was ended in the scoreless first leg of the play-offs against Albion at Selhurst.

Trying to turn and shoot during the second half, Murray tore a cruciate ligament and sustained cartilage damage to his right knee.

That's why he was on crutches celebrating Palace's 2-0 victory in the second leg in Sussex.

Back scoring goals (six in 16 for Reading) after nine months on the sidelines and helping Palace to Premier League survival last season, Murray will pose a major obstacle to Albion and caretaker Nathan Jones in the bid for a second win in 19 league games.