Murty has missed the last three matches after sustaining the injury against Aston Villa in February and he is desperate to regain his fitness to boost Reading's relegation battle.

He told the club's official website: "Hopefully it will have calmed down and it can start progressing because things have been a bit slow.

"I saw a specialist and he put a steroid and anaesthetic injection in it, so hopefully a bit of pain will pay off.

full loads

"I've felt as though I can't contribute as much as I'd like. So it's been hard, but I've got to make sure I'm there for the rest of the boys.

"Hopefully it won't be long - if that injection was worth it! Hopefully I can start progressing on Thursday, start shifting my training up and getting some full loads through the knee which I have not been able to do for three weeks now."

Reading host Birmingham City on Saturday in the Barclays Premier League.

www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk