Irish are without a win since early February and welcome prop Tom Court and lock Will Lloyd back into the side that lost to Saracens in New Jersey.
Gloucester make five changes from the side beaten by Worcester in their last Premiership game.
Henry Trinder replaces David Halaifonua on the wing, while full-back Tom Marshall is set to make his debut.
Callum Braley, who replaced Willi Heinz after just six minutes at Sixways last week, starts at scrum-half and Mariano Galarza and Lewis Ludlow return in the forwards in place of Tom Savage and Ross Moriarty.
Irish's changes come at the expense of Tom Smallbone and Elliott Stooke, while scrum-half Brendan McKibbin is among the replacements following the Australian's recovery from a hamstring injury.
London Irish assistant coach Grant Doorey told BBC Radio Berkshire:
"This weekend, we know it's all about the points, we know it's all about winning.
"The coaching, playing and off-field staff have done an exceptional job already to make sure we do everything we can to get the four or five points on offer against Gloucester.
"It will be about us creating enough field position and pressure to make sure we then finish the opportunities that we're creating.
"Maybe that will make Gloucester have to chase us a little bit."
London Irish: Maitland; Lewington, Hearn, Williams, Ojo; Tonks, Steele; Court, Cruse, Aulika, Lloyd, Symons, Narraway (capt), Cowan, McCusker.
Replacements: Paice, Smallbone, Halavatau, Sexton, Sinclair, McKibbin, Brophy Clews, Mulchrone.
Gloucester: Marshall; Sharples, Meakes, Twelvetrees (capt), Trinder; Hook, Braley; Wood, Hibbard, Afoa, Thrush, Galarza, Kalamafoni, Kvesic, Ludlow.
Replacements: Dawidiuk, Thomas, Doran-Jones, Savage, Evans, Randall, Atkinson, Cook.
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Bottom-of-the-table London Irish make two changes for the visit of Gloucester to the Madejski Stadium on Sunday.