Midfielder Kieran Richardson is out for up to three months with a stress fracture of the back, while striker Andrew Cole (calf) has joined winger Carlos Edwards (hamstring), skipper Dean Whitehead and defender Stanislav Varga (both knee) on the casualty list.
New signings Kenwyne Jones and Russell Anderson are expected to shake off calf problems and Danny Collins (ankle) should also be fit, while Greg Halford returns from suspension.
Reading are likely to be without utility man Brynjar Gunnarsson as the Iceland international has not trained since suffering a badly-bruised knee injury in the defeat by West Ham on September 1.
The Royals must also check on the fitness of defender Michael Duberry, who has been laid low by illness.
Wingers Glen Little (Achilles) and John Oster (ankle) are still sidelined but new signing Liam Rosenior is hopeful of a debut.
Teams:
Sunderland (from): Gordon, Ward, Nosworthy, Halford, Kay, McShane, Anderson, Higginbotham, Collins, Wallace, Etuhu, Yorke, Miller, Leadbitter, Chopra, Jones, Stokes, Murphy, Connolly, O'Donovan.
Reading (from): Hahnemann, Federici, Murty, de la Cruz, Ingimarsson, Bikey, Duberry, Shorey, Rosenior, Fae, Cisse, Harper, Hunt, Convey, Doyle, Lita, Kitson, Long, Golbourne, Gunnarsson.
PA Sport