Reading manager Steve Clarke has made five changes to his side as he shuffles his pack ahead of next weekend's FA Cup semi-final encounter with Arsenal.
Jem Karacan comes into the midfield and captains the side, while Michael Hector, Nathaniel Chalobah, Pavel Pogrebnyak and Jamie Mackie all also start.
Blackburn Rovers, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back from their FA Cup quarter-final defeat at the hands of Liverpool.
They make three changes, with Tommy Spurr, Jay Spearing and Chris Brown coming in for Alex Baptiste, Corry Evans and Craig Conway.
Reading: Federici; Gunter, Ake, Pearce, Hector; McCleary, Chalobah, Karacan, Robson-Kanu; Mackie, Pogrebnyak.
Blackburn Rovers: Eastwood; Henley, Kilgallon, Spurr, Olsson; Cairney, Williamson, Spearing, Marshall; Rhodes, Brown.
Joe Sharratt
