Midfielders Chris Cohen and Paul Anderson have been added to Nottingham Forest's list of absentees.
Cohen begins a three-match suspension following an unsuccessful appeal against the red card he received during the defeat to Leeds.
Anderson underwent a series of scans this week to determine the extent of a rib injury he sustained at Elland Road.
Club captain Paul McKenna remains a doubt with the groin problem that ruled him out last weekend.
However, there was some good news for boss Billy Davies after Paul Konchesky resumed training following a hamstring injury. The on-loan Liverpool defender could come back into the reckoning.
Midfielder Guy Moussi is also back in training after being sidelined since February with a thigh problem, but he is short of match fitness. Defender Kelvin Wilson and strikers Dexter Blackstock and Robbie Findley remain out.
Adam Federici could be back in the Reading squad.
The Australian goalkeeper has missed the last nine games with a knee injury but played for 90 minutes for the reserves in midweek and could travel with the squad.
Manager Brian McDermott, who turns 50 on Friday, is taking a 24-man squad for the trip north as they are staying in Nottingham after the game ahead of the trip to Scunthorpe on Tuesday.
Also hoping to be in the bumper squad are captain Matt Mills, defender Alex Pearce and striker Noel Hunt.
Mills (groin), Pearce (thigh) and Hunt (foot) also featured in the 5-0 reserve win over Northampton on Wednesday and could be involved.
A sixth straight win at the City Ground would put the Royals six points clear of Forest in the final play-off place with just six games left.
