Reading and Crystal Palace meet in the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup at The Madejski Stadium this evening with a place at Wembley on the agenda.
Both clubs’ league campaigns look to be all but over and Reading and Crystal Palace will both be desperate for FA Cup glory to add some shine to their respective seasons.
The home side go into this evening’s fixture without George Evans and Yann Kermorgant who are both cup tied while striker Matej Vydra faces a late fitness test on a hamstring problem. Experienced duo Paul McShane and Hal Robson-Kanu could return to the side following injury.
Crystal Palace Manager Alan Pardew brings his Eagles side to his former club without the services of injured attacking pair Connor Wickham and Marouane Chamakh. Influential midfielder James Puncheon returns to the squad after a hamstring injury while goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey is also fit to feature against The Royals.
Reading have an excellent recent FA Cup record having reached this stage of the competition in four of the last seven seasons. The Royals exited last season’s competition at the Semi Final stage as Premier League giants Arsenal recorded an extra time victory over the Championship club at Wembley.
Crystal Palace are yet to win a league fixture in 2016 and travel to a Reading side who are yet to taste defeat on their own turf since the turn of the year. The Eagles will be looking to extend their record of beating Reading on all three occasions which the clubs have met in the FA Cup.
