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Manchester City will be favourites to progress to the semi-finals of the FA Cup when they take on Championship club Reading at Eastlands on Sunday afternoon.
With any realistic hope of a Premier League title bid gone, Roberto Mancini’s men will look at this competition as an excellent chance to win some silverware. The club’s owners expect success after all the money they have spent, after all.
Their challenge will not be an easy one though. Reading have already knocked Premier League opposition out of the FA Cup this year, with 1-0 wins over West Brom and Everton in the third and fifth round respectively.
Brian McDermott’s men still have play-off ambitions this season, but they will be fully focused on a match that could see them reach the semi-finals of the most famous cup competition in the world.
As previously mentioned though, the Premier League side will naturally be favourites. They have a wealth of talent at their disposal and should have more than enough to win the game in normal time.
The FA Cup has been known to throw up surprises though and plenty have been bigger than Reading beating Manchester City. Anything could happen.
As far as the team news is concerned Mario Balotelli is a doubt for the home side after suffering an allergic reaction in midweek, but captain Carlos Tevez and influential midfielder Nigel de Jong could return.
Reading will wait on the fitness of Matt Mills and Jobi McAnuff, while Andy Griffin (Achilles) and Adam Federici are definitely out of action for the game.
Whoever takes the field for either side will know what is at stake. With one of Manchester United and Arsenal set to be out of the competition by the time this game gets underway, the path is somewhat easier to the FA Cup final.
Manchester City should be one of the final four, but they never seem to do things the easy way, so Reading cannot be ruled out.
Bring on the magic of the FA Cup.
