Reading continue to be without Jason Roberts (thigh) and Jimmy Kebe (groin), while Hope Akpan is struggling with a knock picked up in the defeat to Southampton last week.

Pavel Pogrebnyak may replace him, joining Adam Le Fondre in a two-pronged attack.

Liverpool have doubts over Stewart Downing (illness), with Daniel Sturridge set to step up to Brendan Rodgers’ front-line.

Youngster Raheem Sterling (thigh) has been ruled out, while Fabio Borini, Joe Allen and Martin Kelly will all miss the rest of the season.

• From that matchday squad, only Nicky Shorey and Adam Federici remain at the club.

• Only Wigan have conceded more goals at home than Reading this season.

• The Royals’ central-midfielders have only contributed two goals in the Premier League this season, while Liverpool captain Gerrard (pictured right) already has nine to his name.

• Only Manchester United and Tottenham have scored more goals away from home in the league than the Reds this season.

• There has never been a goalless draw between these two sides in nine meetings.

After the proposals were approved by clubs in February, new rules which will cap wages and limit losses are set to come into effect next season ahead of Uefa’s new regulations

The Premier League have ratified the agreement over Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, Goal.com understands.

Chief executive Richard Scudamore was believed to be pressing for approval at a shareholders’ meeting on Thursday after club chairmen voted in favour of the proposals in February.

The earlier vote barely passed, however, with a two-thirds majority – required under Premier League rules – only reached through Reading’s decision to abstain.

Aston Villa, Fulham, Manchester City, Southampton, Swansea and West Brom are the clubs understood to have voted against the plans in February, but it appears the proposals have been given the go-ahead despite the “no” camp needing only one more vote.

Under Uefa rules, which come into effect from 2014-15, clubs have to minimise losses or face the possibility of being excluded from European competition, and Scudamore has confirmed any club breaking the Premier League’s agreed rules will face a points deduction.

The key points of the plans promise two major regulations which will limit players’ wage bills from next season and set a club loss limit of €123 million over three years.

The wage cap will start at €61m and increase by £4m each year to €70m in 2015-16, and only seven of the 20 current Premier League clubs are under that total at the moment.

The 40-year-old manager says that despite enjoying their foreign travels this season, they could be better off next year if they miss out on a place in the Europa League

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted the club could be better off in the long-term if they miss out on a place in Europe this season.

The club currently sit in seventh place in the top flight table, nine points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham and unsure what position will guarantee Europa League football with six games of the campaign left to play.

However, while the 40-year-old admits that he wants to finish as high up the league as possible this year and that the fans love being involved on the continent, they may be able to focus all of their energy on a top four push next term if they miss out this year.

“There are two arguments. As a club we want to be in there,” Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo.

“We really enjoyed the European football this season after it had been missing for a year and I know the supporters love the travel.

“But you could argue that a season free of European football would give us a greater chance of finishing in a much higher position in the league – of competing for the top four which is a really difficult task with the teams up there and the finances involved.

“Our squad from the beginning of this season was small and we are gradually building that up.

“We would love to be in there and we want to finish as high as we possibly can, but it won’t be the end of the world if we don’t qualify for Europe. If it doesn’t happen then it could end up being a blessing for us.

“It could allow us to have a real strong run at the league next year and that can then really springboard us for the years going forward.

“But ultimately we want a squad strong enough to be able to cope with European football as well as the domestic league and cups.”