Venue: Madejski Stadium Date: 17th December 2012 Kick Off: 20:00 GMT
Team News
Jason Roberts and Pavel Pogrebnyak return from injury for the visit of Arsenal to the Madejski Stadium, though Jimmy Kebe and Jem Karacan have not yet returned to full match fitness. Sean Morrison, who left St Mary's on crutches after his sides 1-0 defeat to Southampton earlier this month, is still out with an ankle injury. Arsenal meanwhile will assess the fitness of Theo Walcott. The England winger is the clubs' top scorer this season but is suffering from a calf complaint and has only an outside chance of playing. Striker Oliver Giroud should be back in contention however having sat out the defeat to Bradford in the League Cup with a back injury.
Predicted line-ups;
Reading: Federici, Shorey, Gorkss, Gunter, Cummings, McAnuff, Leigertwood, McCleary, Tabb, Guthrie, Le Fondre Arsenal: Szczesny, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Vermaelen, Sagna, Carzorla, Arteta, Gervinho, Ramsey, Podolski, Giroud
Match Preview
Arsenal will be searching for only their second victory in eight Premier League ties tonight as they visit the Premier Leagues basement club. It has been a pretty tumultuous few weeks for Arsene Wenger's side, especially after that defeat to Bradford in the League Cup. Whichever way Wenger tries to spin it, it was still an embarrassment for a side of this pedigree. They will be hopeful though of taking all three points tonight from a team who are propping up the league with just 9 points, and already look like relegation fodder. The last time they visited the Madejski however, they sensationally went down 4-0 before recovering to win a thrilling League Cup tie 7-5. Arsene Wenger will be hoping for less drama this time as he looks to get his eighth placed team back on track. A win for the visitors tonight would see them leapfrog Norwich, West Brom and Everton into fifth, albeit on goal difference. A defeat for the home side though would leave them facing an uphill battle in getting out of the relegation mire.
Team News courtesy of the BBC