Striker Brian Howard plans to add Man City to the list of top-flight sides he has upset in the FA Cup.
Forward feels City's midweek defeat will help Royals
Giant-killing striker Brian Howard plans to add Man City to his list of top-flight sides he's upset in the FA Cup.
Reading are on a roll in the competition having gunned down Premier League opposition in the shape of West Brom and Everton and are the only lower league side left having made it into the final eight.
Royals marksman Howard has enjoyed an impressive FA Cup goalscoring record of his own having netted against Liverpool and Chelsea in recent years both for his current club and Barnsley.
The 28-year-old's ratio against Premier League sides is certainly one which should not to be overlooked by Roberto Mancini's men in Sunday's mouth-watering encounter.
Howard believes there is no better time to face the richest club in the world and cause another FA Cup upset following City's 2-0 Europa League defeat against Dynamo Kiev in midweek.
"Kiev played really well and the way that they played is the way that we play," the Reading hitman told
The Independent.
Good shape
"We don't give teams time on the ball, we have good shape about us and when we win it we are good on the break. That is how Kiev did it.
"Obviously City losing that game and the long trip back from Kiev with us having that extra bit of rest [will help]."
The 28-year-old former Tykes ace went on: "Hopefully they will think 'We've got Reading, we're [already] in the semi-finals of the FA Cup'. That they don't have to turn up and play.
"[Against Kiev] it looked like they thought they could just turn up, but Kiev won. They've got 25 world-class players so whoever is on the pitch is good."
Howard, who turned down a Chelsea contract at the age of 20 in search of first-team football, believes he has what it takes to shine in the league above and in turn upset a trophy-hunting City outfit.
He added: "The game might be at City, but it's a great opportunity."
