Cardiff v Reading preview

McCormack: Could return

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FA Cup finalists Cardiff come up against Championship rivals Reading in the third round of this season's competition.

The Bluebirds upset the odds to reach the Wembley showpiece last season where they were edged out by Portsmouth.

Ross McCormack could make a timely return for the runners-up as they look kickstart a repeat of last season's impressive run.

McCormack, the club's leading goalscorer, has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since the start of December but could make his comeback at Ninian Park.

His availability would be a big boost to boss Dave Jones after on-loan striker Michael Chopra returned to parent club Sunderland earlier this week.

Winger Wayne Routledge is not available due to the terms of his loan from Aston Villa, although the Bluebirds are in the process of tying up a permanent deal for his services which, if completed in time, could see him feature.

Midfielder Peter Whittingham will hope to start the encounter having come off the bench in the last two games after his return from an ankle problem.

Reading team news

Reading captain Graeme Murty is set to make his first appearance of the season when the Royals head to Ninian Park.

Murty sustained a calf injury in a pre-season friendly against Havant & Waterlooville and has yet to make a first-team appearance this campaign but is fit to feature.

Manager Steve Coppell has revealed he is planning on making multiple changes after a gruelling festive period.

He said: "I want to win the game. I don't field a team to lose. But I have a squad of about 20 players and the core of that squad have played a lot of games. I will tell you that I will make wholesale changes for Saturday.

"But that is not because I want to be out of the competition. Realistically we are not going to win it and I have to do what I think is right for Reading. I don't field weakened teams in the FA Cup - I field different teams."

Defender Alex Pearce has been recalled from his loan spell at Southampton and will feature while striker Leroy Lita is back from a spell at Norwich.