Reading v Aston Villa FA Cup Betting

The transformation which Championship side Reading have undergone of late, has been nothing short of a miracle. Down and out near the foot of the Championship, their looked to be nothing on the horizon but relegation to League One. Up steps Brian McDermott after the much publicised departure of Steve Coppell, and out go Liverpool from the FA Cup. That victory in the Third Round replay at Anfield, has appeared to be the catalyst for a remarkable turnaround in the Royal’s fortunes. There looks to be a lot of faith around the club now, after winning 5 of their last 6 games, topped off with a 5-0 thumping of Sheffield Wednesday in their last league outing. As displayed in the Anfield heroics, they go out to the pitch with vigour and look to concentrate on playing their own game, as opposed to worrying about what the opposition is doing.

Their feats in the FA Cup didn’t stop with beating Liverpool, for there was more Premier League opposition on the horizon for them. They beat Burnley in the fourth round 1-0 and then triumphed in a replay against high flying West Brom, who are seeking automatic promotion from the Championship. They are not safe from relegation yet, but the recent run of games has put them in with a much better chance of survival. They are only one point above Sheffield Wednesday, who are third from bottom, but the bottom half of the table is so tight, that a couple more wins will see them firmly in the safety of mid table. At least there is a lot more to be optimistic about now, as they welcome Aston Villa to the Madejski Stadium, in the hope of yet another giant killing act. Could they join Portsmouth as being one the fairy-tale stories of the FA Cup 2010, by joining them in the Semi Finals?

First they will have to get past Carling Cup finalists Aston Villa, who are proving to be a resilient lot under Martin O’Neill. They get Richard Dunne back from injury, as they look to fill the disappointment of losing one Wembley final this season, by getting back there to have another crack of the whip. Villa have had a preference for not putting out full sides for cup fixtures this season, but they will be strong on Sunday, as this is now a much more trickier tie than it may have been a couple of months ago. Villa are tight at the back, which is the foundation they have built upon in order to get them into the race for fourth spot in the Premier League, as well as their successful run in the Carling Cup. They do like to play a wide game though, as well as directly hitting the pacy big men up front, notably Gabriel Agbonlahor. England dangerman James Milner is also one to watch, along with Ashley Young.

Villa have already had a scare against Championships opposition in the FA Cup this season, needing a replay to get past a battling Crystal Palace. Reading are the only team left in the competition, not to come from the Premier League, and so will have their work cut out for them. This should be a free flowing game, as the initiative will be with the home side Reading to take the game to the higher level of opposition. The Villa defence should stand tall, as they have done for most of the season, but they are not big goalscorers. Still, they went 12 games unbeaten this year, only losing that record to Man Utd in the Carling Cup final, and are in good form. But Reading, as they have proven so far during this FA Cup run, they are capable of being the downfall of teams in much higher standing than them. Will this be another great day for the underdogs?

BETTING STATS (All competitions)

Head to Head
Reading 1, Aston Villa 2
Aston Villa 3, Reading 1
Reading 2, Aston Villa 0
Aston Villa 2, Reading 1

Last 5 Match Goals
Reading: 12 For, 7 Against
Aston Villa: 12 For, 8 Against

Last 10 Match Form
Reading: W5, D2, L3
Aston Villa: W5, D4, L1

Win Percentage:
Reading have a 26.3 win percentage at home
Aston Villa have a 41.2 win percentage away from home

MATCH PRICES
Aston Villa to win: 11/13 at Expekt
Draw: 13/5 at Boylesports
Reading to win: 7/2 at Bet365

Asian Handicap Betting Advice: Villa will be favourites to take this, even if it is away from home. They managed well enough against similar opposition in Crystal Palace in a tricky replay, and will have to curb the early giant killing enthusiasm of Reading in the early stages. They will have a battle on their hands, and this could easily turn out as draw, which is something to lean towards finding coverage in the betting. If you fancy another upset will be on the cards with the buoyant Reading side going so well this year, then taking a chance on Reading +0.25 will fetch 7/5 at Paddy Power (which will bring a half win for a drawn match). Otherwise, with Villa expecting to be in the ascendancy, but not a high scoring club:
Aston Villa -1.00 Asian Handicap 11/10 at Stan James