Pavel Pogrebnyak back for Royals as Arsenal await

Thursday 16 Apr 2015
Pavel Pogrebnyak has scored seven goals in 31 appearances this season

Pavel Pogrebnyak will be available for Reading's FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal having overcome a calf complaint.

The giant striker missed Tuesday's 1-0 loss to Bournemouth but has been given the all-clear to feature at Wembley.

Jem Karacan will captain the side should he start a third straight game after long-term injury, in what would be just his sixth appearance of the season after a stop-start campaign.

Nathan Ake and Kwesi Appiah, on loan from Chelsea and Crystal Palace respectively, are cup-tied for the semi-final.

Reading v Arsenal

FA Cup semi-final
5.20pm, Saturday 18 April
Wembley Stadium Connected by EE
Winners receive £900,000
Losers receive £450,000
Live on BBC One

However fellow loanees Nathaniel Chalobah and Jamie Mackie are available.

Meanwhile Arsene Wenger has a near fully-fit squad to chose from.

The Arsenal manager confirmed the only two players definitely unavailable are Mikel Arteta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who are still recovering from ankle and groin injuries respectively.

England midfielder Jack Wilshere could be in line for a first appearance since 22 November 2014. 

Wenger refused to be drawn on whether Wilshere would start or not, but confirmed he would definitely be in the squad.

Wojciech Szczesny is set to be back in goal, while the likes of England duo Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck are also pressing for a start.

France defender Mathieu Debuchy may also be included in the squad again, having been out since January after needing shoulder surgery. 

Provisional squads

Reading
Federici, Andersen, Gunter, Kelly, Obita, Cooper, Ferdinand, Pearce, Knight, Hector, Chalobah, Karacan, Williams, Norwood, Robson-Kanu, Akpan, McCleary, Pogrebnyak, Stacey, Yakubu, Blackman, Mackie, Cox.

Arsenal
Szczesny, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Bellerin, Coquelin, Wilshere, Ramsey, Sanchez, Walcott, Welbeck, Ospina, Monreal, Koscielny, Cazorla, Ozil, Giroud, Rosicky, Chambers, Flamini, Debuchy.

By FA Staff