Emre will be missing for three weeks after aggravating his calf injury on his return to action for the reserves in midweek.
Stephen Carr (hamstring) and James Milner (foot) are close to being available again, but Shay Given and Claudio Cacapa (both groin) and Peter Ramage (knee) are still missing.
Newcastle (from): Harper, Forster, Beye, Enrique, Taylor, Faye, Edgar, Butt, N'Zogbia, Duff, Barton, Geremi, Owen, Smith, Martins, Viduka, Carroll.
Reading will be without Marek Matejovsky as the midfielder serves a one-match ban following his sending off against Blackburn last week.
Winger Glen Little is in the squad for the first time in almost a year as he completes his comeback from an Achilles injury.
Forward Jimmy Kebe (knee) and midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson (groin) remain sidelined and defender Graeme Murty is not yet fully recovered from a knee problem.
Reading (from): Hahnemann, Federici, Rosenior, Bikey, Ingimarsson, Duberry, Shorey, Oster, Harper, Cisse, Hunt, Fae, Doyle, Kitson, Long, de la Cruz, Sonko, Little, Convey.