Dave Kitson is back in light training but is not ready to return, while Peter Mate, Aaron Brown and Simon Cox remain on the sidelined.
Charlton hope to have Darren Bent, Jerome Thomas and Dennis Rommedahl available after injury.
Amady Faye is suspended, while Radostin Kishishev and Souleymane Diawara are doubtful with hamstring problems.
Reading (from): Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Little, Seol, Sidwell, Harper, Hunt, Doyle, Long, Lita, Gunnarsson, de la Cruz, Bikey, Oster, Federici.
Charlton (from): Carson, Young, Diawara, Kishishev, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson, Ambrose, M Bent, Holland, Hasselbaink, Reid, Thomas, D Bent, Andersen, Sankofa, Rommedahl, Pouso, Fortune, Hughes.
"In the majority of games this year we are going to be the underdogs but Charlton have struggled so far this season.
"But they will be looking at it as a great opportunity to get three points by getting stuck into the new boys.
"So both sides will have a similar kind of mentality and the importance of the three points is obvious."
"I do not think the fans want to see a complete revolution.
"They want to see a team which is passionate, well organised and appears to be well coached. That is what I intend to give them.
"But I will make changes, and have the normal problems managers have in picking and dropping players."