Reading boss heaps praise on Sheffield United

Chris Wilder’s side travelled south eighth in the table - only five points behind the Champions League places - after losing only seven of their 27 outings in the top-flight this term.

After climbing out of the second tier last term, those results, combined with Wilder’s attack-minded tactics, have made a mockery of suggestions United would struggle to compete at the highest level.

Bowen, whose team are 16th in the Championship, said: “The whole country now knows what Sheffield United are like. They’ll come strong, they’ll bring it on and it will be a good experience for us, for me and for the players.”

With a quarter-final place up for grabs, both Wilder and Bowen are set to name strong starting elevens at the Madejski Stadium. United are unlikely to risk wing-back Enda Stevens, after the Republic of Ireland international injured a calf muscle during last month’s draw with Brighton and Hove Albion. But Panos Retsos, signed on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, former Genk midfielder Sander Berge and Dean Henderson, now being touted as a future England goalkeeper, could all feature.

Reading captain Liam Moore should be available for selection after missing their win over Barnsley due to illness, while his colleague Matt Miazaga, previously of Chelsea, will undergo a fitness test having only just recovered from an ankle complaint.

United progressed to the later stages of the competition by beating AFC Fylde and Millwall, with the Londoners’ manager Gary Rowett praising the attitude of Wilder’s men at The Den.

Echoing those sentiments, Bowen said: “We’re under no illusions about the size of the task facing us.

“Some big-name teams might come here and maybe take their eye off the ball a little bit, thinking ‘It’s only Reading.’ Sheffield United just don’t do that.

“They’ll come here and produce everything they do in Premier League games.”