And tt will take a headline act from one of the football club's finest to out do highly-rated Sunderland tomorrow evening.
Reading may only just be recovering from the manic bank holiday festival weekend, but all eyes will be on the Madejski Stadium for the visit of Mick McCarthy's able yet misfiring team.
The Royals, who have won three and lost two of their opening five games, will fancy their chances against a Sunderland side who have underperformed so far this season.
Bobby Convey and Glen Little, two of Reading's biggest stars, will be missing tomorrow evening as international duty and a hamstring injury have combined to deny the duo the chance to take part in arguably the club's most important game of the season to date.
However, in their absence versatile midfielder Andy Hughes and reserve team winger Paul Brooker will deputise.
The meddling on the flanks aside, Steve Coppell is likely to field an unchanged side from the one that was disappointingly beaten by Millwall at the weekend.
Although Nicky Forster and James Harper are suffering from minor fitness concerns, both are expected to play.
However, visitors Sunderland do not find themselves in the same rude health. Ex-Celtic midfielder Colin Healy, a long-term injury victim, will play no part whilst defenders Steve Caldwell and Stephen Wright will also be missing.
Yet influential midfielder Julio Arca should be fit to return to the Sunderland starting line-up after only playing a minor part in his team's 1-1 draw with Wigan on Saturday.
The Argentinean, who scored against Reading last season, has been laid low by a jellyfish sting that he suffered in a bizarre incident swimming in the North Sea last week.
Victory for Reading tomorrow is imperative if they wish to re-establish themselves in the early season top six.
Reading form (last 5): LWWWL
Sunderland form (last 5): WDLWD
Probable Reading line-up: Hahnemann; Murty, Williams, Ingimarsson, Shorey; Hughes, Sidwell, Harper, Brooker; Forster, Kitson