Reading will be looking for only their third Premier League win of the season when they host high-flying West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
Reading beat West Ham United 1-0 in the last game of December but started the new year with a defeat to Tottenham Hostpur.
West Brom have lost their last two league games after the run that saw them challenge the top five.
Mikele Leigertwood might be fit to return for the Royals while Jason Roberts remains a doubt.
Jonas Olsson and Goran Popov are unlikely to be fit to play for the visitors, while Marc-Antoine Fortune could be fit for the bench. However, Zoltan Gera will miss the remainder of the season.
Recent form
Reading: LLDLWD
West Brom: LLLWLD
Possible starting lineups
Reading: Federici; Gunter, Pearce, Mariappa, Harte; Kebe, Karacan, Tabb, Guthrie, McAnuff; Pogrebnyak
West Brom: Myhill; Jones, Tamas, McAuley, Ridgewell; Dorrans, Thorne, Brunt, Morrison; Long, Lukaku
Sports Mole says: 1-3