Iceman out of festive period

Reading are set to be without midfielder Bryn Gunnarsson for the next few games, after the Iceland international picked up a knee injury during the 1-1 draw at Birmingham on saturday.

Gunnarsson was forced off after just 25 minutes at St. Andrews.

The midfielder picked up a knock to his knee after making a challenge on the half way line.

According to Reading boss Steve Coppell, Gunnarsson is set to miss at least two weeks of action; 'He has got stitches on his knee.

'He is very stiff and sore and he is going to be out for a while, a couple of weeks at least.'

Whilst the injury to Gunnarsson is a big blow, it will give a chance for one of Coppell's summer signings to force their way into the side.

Kalifa Cisse and Emerse Fae will be battling it out to fill the void left by Gunnarsson, with Cisse perhaps most likely to get the inital nod.

French midfielder Cisse, who joined the Royals from Portugese side Boavista in the summer, has been limited to just one league start this season.

The Frenchman was sent off on his debut at home to Chelsea, and then underwent a knee operation which kept him out of action for six weeks.

Cisse returned to the side as a late substitute in the 3-1 win over Liverpool and came on to replace the injured Gunnarsson in the draw with Birmingham.

It appears that Coppell will choose Cisse ahead of £2.5 million man Emerse Fae, who has thus far failed to impress since arriving from Nantes in August.