Luciano Becchio remains a big doubt as Leeds bid to halt Reading’s remarkable eight-match winning streak at Elland Road tonight.

Top scorer Becchio, who has 20 goals this season, has had a scan which showed a hamstring injury and its extent is being assessed further.

United manager Simon Grayson has not yet ruled out the Argentinian but says he will take no risks with him at this vital stage of the season.

“If Luciano doesn’t play against Reading we have another game on Monday at Crystal Palace and more big games after that, so we’ll just have to wait and see,” said Grayson.

“Luciano works so hard for the team, he has scored a lot of goals and he is loved by the crowd and by us.

“He works so hard in training but we rested him last weekend by putting him on the bench to start with because we felt in recent games he had looked a little bit tired and could do with a breather.

“If he is out tonight and Monday, we have other players who can come into the team and who have done well.”

Reading’s winning run has lifted them to fourth place and Grayson said: “They are the form team in the division at the moment. To win eight games on the trot in the Championship takes some doing.

“They always say a run has to come to an end some time and hopefully that will be the case for Reading against us.

“If they achieve a good result they will think they can finish in the top two. Our aim is to finish in the top six and if we don’t beat Reading there are still three games left after that.

“The situation may be a bit clearer after Monday’s games but I can see it going to the wire. We have worked really hard all season to get where we are and we don’t want to let it slip in the next few weeks.”

Grayson believes mental toughness will be vital with the finishing tape in sight and thinks some of the club’s rivals are feeling the pressure.

“Teams around us in the table must be feeling the pressure because if they weren’t they would have grasped the opportunity and most of them haven’t done that,” he said.

“The teams immediately behind us have an equal opportunity. They all have qualities and weaknesses, which typifies the division.”

Sanchez Watt has recovered from injury and is available but Lloyd Sam, Ben Parker and long-term Leeds casualty Patrick Kisnorbo are still ruled out.