Left-back Callum Davidson is ruled out for several weeks with a torn hamstring and midfielder Barry Nicholson remains a long-term absentee with a broken leg.
Winger Paul Parry also tore a hamstring in the recent 2-0 home win over Swansea and will remain sidelined too.
However, North End are in buoyant mood after Saturday's 2-1 win at Leicester lifted them to third in the Coca-Cola Championship.
Manager Alan Irvine made five changes to his starting line-up at the Walkers Stadium but is likely to keep any changes to a minimum for the clash with Brendan Rodgers' side.
Irvine said: "We are going to have to work hard against Reading otherwise all the work we put into getting such a good result at Leicester will not be quite as useful for us."
Reading manager Brendan Rodgers is waiting on the fitness of captain Ivar Ingimarsson before naming his squad for the trip.
Ingimarsson made his return from eight months on the sidelines with a knee injury against Watford on Saturday and played the full 90 minutes as Rodgers took a point in a 1-1 draw against his former club.
The Iceland international reported no problems but will be thoroughly assessed after such a lengthy spell out before starting his second game in four days.
Winger Jobi McAnuff impressed on his debut at the weekend after recovering from a back problem and he will again start while Alex Pearce will hope to at least travel.
Pearce captained the side this season in Ingimarsson's absence but was not even on the bench at the weekend as Rodgers instead chose Matt Mills as cover.
Republic of Ireland international Shane Long remains sidelined with an ankle injury and Chris Armstrong is still recovering from knee surgery.
Sporting Life