Steve Coppell's team need maximum points to cement their place in the top six following their poor 2-1 weekend defeat to Derby County.
The Royals have every reason to feel confident going into tomorrow's game as they have beaten the Lilywhites at the Madejski Stadium in each of the last two seasons, scoring eight goals on the way to victory.
Almost a year ago Reading came from behind in the last ten minutes to defeat the Lancashire side 3-2, whilst the year before Nicky Forster scored a hat-trick as the Royals ran out 5-1 winners.
Historically the Berkshire based side have an excellent home record against Preston, so they will be hoping for all three points tomorrow evening.
Reading have met Preston twenty times at home and have emerged victorious on eleven occasions, the Lilywhites have won on just four occasions.
But the Royals were beaten a club record 18-0 away at Preston in the FA Cup in 1894.
Although Reading's record away at Preston is frankly poor, when you factor in the Royals excellent early season home form, an away win looks unlikely.
The full history of Reading v Preston North End encounters:
| At Reading (20) | At Preston N.E. (21) | |||||
| Results | Total | % | Results | Total | % | |
| Reading | 11 | 55.00 | Preston N.E. | 14 | 66.67 | |
| Preston N.E. | 4 | 20.00 | Reading | 2 | 9.52 | |
| Draws | 5 | 25.00 | Draws | 5 | 23.81 | |
| Goals | Total | Av.pg | Goals | Total | Av.pg | |
| Reading | 46 | 2.30 | Preston N.E. | 65 | 3.10 | |
| Preston N.E. | 26 | 1.30 | Reading | 18 | 0.86 | |
| On Neutral Ground (0) | ||||||
| Overall (41 matches) | ||||||
| Results | Total | % | Results | Total | % | |
| Reading | 0 | 0.00 | Reading | 13 | 31.71 | |
| Preston N.E. | 0 | 0.00 | Preston N.E. | 18 | 43.90 | |
| Draws | 0 | 0.00 | Draws | 10 | 24.39 | |
| Goals | Total | Av.pg | Goals | Total | Av.pg | |
| Reading | 0 | 0.00 | Reading | 64 | 1.56 | |
| Preston N.E. | 0 | 0.00 | Preston N.E. | 91 | 2.22 | |
| Records | |||||
| Highest Aggregate | 18 | Preston N.E. | 18 - 0 | Reading | 1893/1894 |
| Highest Reading score: | 6 | Reading | 6 - 0 | Preston N.E. | 1989/1990 |
| Highest Preston N.E. score: | 18 | Preston N.E. | 18 - 0 | Reading | 1893/1894 |
| Season | Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition |
| 2003/2004 | Tue 02 Mar | Preston N.E. | 2 - 1 | Reading | League Division One |
| Tue 13 Jan | Reading | 1 - 2 | Preston N.E. | F.A. Cup | |
| Sat 03 Jan | Preston N.E. | 3 - 3 | Reading | F.A. Cup | |
| Sat 18 Oct | Reading | 3 - 2 | Preston N.E. | League Division One | |
| 2002/2003 | Tue 15 Apr | Reading | 5 - 1 | Preston N.E. | League Division One |
| Sat 26 Oct | Preston N.E. | 1 - 0 | Reading | League Division One | |
| 1999/2000 | Sat 05 Feb | Preston N.E. | 2 - 2 | Reading | League Division Two |
| Wed 01 Sep | Reading | 2 - 2 | Preston N.E. | League Division Two | |
| 1998/1999 | Sat 20 Feb | Reading | 2 - 1 | Preston N.E. | League Division Two |
| Sat 12 Sep | Preston N.E. | 4 - 0 | Reading | League Division Two | |
| 1992/1993 | Sat 20 Feb | Reading | 4 - 0 | Preston N.E. | League Division Two |
| Tue 20 Oct | Preston N.E. | 2 - 0 | Reading | League Division Two | |
| 1991/1992 | Tue 14 Apr | Preston N.E. | 1 - 1 | Reading | Third Division |
| Sat 29 Feb | Reading | 2 - 2 | Preston N.E. | Third Division | |
| 1990/1991 | Sat 12 Jan | Preston N.E. | 1 - 2 | Reading | Third Division |
| Sat 01 Sep | Reading | 3 - 3 | Preston N.E. | Third Division | |
| 1989/1990 | Sat 17 Feb | Reading | 6 - 0 | Preston N.E. | Third Division |
| Sat 02 Dec | Preston N.E. | 1 - 0 | Reading | Third Division | |
| 1988/1989 | Sat 29 Apr | Preston N.E. | 2 - 1 | Reading | Third Division |
| Sat 12 Nov | Reading | 2 - 2 | Preston N.E. | Third Division | |
| 1984/1985 | Sat 16 Mar | Reading | 3 - 0 | Preston N.E. | Third Division |
| Sat 13 Oct | Preston N.E. | 0 - 2 | Reading | Third Division | |
| 1982/1983 | Sat 07 May | Preston N.E. | 2 - 0 | Reading | Third Division |
| Sat 02 Oct | Reading | 2 - 3 | Preston N.E. | Third Division | |
| 1981/1982 | Sat 06 Mar | Reading | 2 - 1 | Preston N.E. | Third Division |
| Sat 17 Oct | Preston N.E. | 0 - 0 | Reading | Third Division | |
| 1976/1977 | Sat 23 Apr | Preston N.E. | 3 - 0 | Reading | Third Division |
| Sat 13 Nov | Reading | 0 - 2 | Preston N.E. | Third Division | |
| 1970/1971 | Mon 12 Apr | Reading | 1 - 0 | Preston N.E. | Third Division |
| Sat 12 Sep | Preston N.E. | 4 - 1 | Reading | Third Division | |
| 1930/1931 | Sat 03 Jan | Preston N.E. | 3 - 3 | Reading | Second Division |
| Sat 06 Sep | Reading | 1 - 4 | Preston N.E. | Second Division | |
| 1929/1930 | Sat 28 Dec | Preston N.E. | 2 - 1 | Reading | Second Division |
| Sat 31 Aug | Reading | 2 - 0 | Preston N.E. | Second Division | |
| 1928/1929 | Wed 05 Sep | Reading | 0 - 0 | Preston N.E. | Second Division |
| Mon 27 Aug | Preston N.E. | 7 - 0 | Reading | Second Division | |
| 1927/1928 | Mon 09 Apr | Reading | 2 - 1 | Preston N.E. | Second Division |
| Fri 06 Apr | Preston N.E. | 4 - 0 | Reading | Second Division | |
| 1926/1927 | Wed 27 Apr | Reading | 3 - 0 | Preston N.E. | Second Division |
| Sat 06 Nov | Preston N.E. | 3 - 1 | Reading | Second Division | |
| 1893/1894 | Sat 27 Jan | Preston N.E. | 18 - 0 | Reading | F.A. Cu |