Three potential heroes of the FA Cup this weekend

This weekend sees just one Premier League match take place but before you moan remember that the magic of the FA Cup, to use the oldest cliché in football, is still alive and kicking.

Shock quarter-finalists Bradford will look to book a place at Wembley when they take on Championship side Reading – a walk in the park when you consider they have already sent Chelsea and Sunderland packing.

Reading, who in all honesty have very little to play for in the league, will be going all out for the win though and fellow second tier team Blackburn attempt to overcome an in-form Liverpool side to perform the biggest potential giant killing of the round.

With the stakes so high there is plenty of potential for someone to make themselves a hero and here are three men we feel could shine.

Jon Stead – Bradford

The term football journeyman could have been coined for Stead who has featured for 10 different English league clubs but since arriving at Bradford on loan from Huddersfield that journey has become inspiring.

The 31-year-old has scored eight goals for the Bantams so far with five of those strikes coming in FA Cup.

With a goal in every round, including vital strikes against Sunderland and Chelsea, The renaissance man is the competition’s top scorer and the man most likely to give Bantams fans another day out at Wembley.

Yakubu – Reading

Former Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and Everton striker Yakubu is well travelled, having also played in China, Israel and Qatar but the 32-year-old is rarely better than when playing in the FA Cup.

The Yak Attack has netted 12 times in 23 career games in the competition and after coming off the bench to score the winner against Derby last time out the Bradford defence will be wary of the Nigerian’s threat.

Josh King – Blackburn

Norwegian forward King had been flying under the radar at Ewood Park this season, chipping in with just three goals before Rovers’ meeting with Stoke in the last round.

However, after doubling his tally for the term with a well-taken hat-trick against the Black Cats, Liverpool – who are concentrating on a push for the Premier League’s top four – could become the 23-year-old’s latest victims.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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