Published: Tuesday, 26th January, 2010 8:00am

Harper has left hole in Royals' dressing room

by Anthony Smith

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A-Fed: Adam Federici makes a smart save during Reading's FA Cup victory over Burnley.

ADAM Federici has stoked up tonight's clash with Sheffield United by suggesting James Harper would prefer to be playing for Reading (7.45pm ko).

Harper is Reading's longest-serving player but in August he was farmed out to the Blades on loan for the rest of the season to ease Royals' wage bill.

And the agreement saw Brian Howard arrive at the Madejski Stadium for £500,000, though he may have to make do with a place on tonight's bench.

Harper has since become a regular fixture in Kevin Blackwell's promotion-chasing side and the 29-year-old midfielder is eligible to face his parent club in the Bramall Lane fixture.

But goalkeeper Federici believes that deep down Harper would prefer to be pulling on the blue and white hoops.

"I'm pretty sure he'd want to come back to Reading but that can't be done," argued Federici.

"He's been at Reading a long time. He loves this place and most of all he loves all the boys.

"I'm 100% certain he would want to wish us all the best and hope that we can get out of the trouble we're in."

Harper was one of the most colourful character's at the club and Federici for one misses the ex-Arsenal player's banter.

"I'm sure I'll get a text message before the game but we can hear him talking up there anyway.

"He's a fantastic player and we were sad to see him go. But that's the way it is.

"Not only was he a good player but he was a voice in the dressing room and I think there will be some banter from him during the game. The boys along side him will get an earful.

"But Sheffield are a great team. They're there or thereabouts every year but they're going to have a hard fight on their hands and it should be a good game."

While Royals have already beaten Premier League Liverpool and Burnley to reach the FA Cup fifth round, they have dropped to 22nd place in the Championship before tonight's clash.

They have failed to win in the league since December 5 and caretaker boss Brian MCDermott is still yet to win after four Championship matches.

In fact, the last time Reading secured three points was when they beat United's Steel City rivals, Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 at Hillsborough thanks to goals from Grzegorz Rasiak and Kalifa Cisse.

However, McDermott predicts it won't get any easier tonight: "We've had a long rivalry with Sheffield United in the Premier League and the Championship so we know what we're going in to," he stated.

"Bramall Lane is never an easy place to go but we will give it our best because we need to start winning games."

Meanwhile, new signing Zurab Khizanishvili could go straight into the Reading starting line-up after joining on loan from Blackburn Rovers for the rest of the season.

The 28-year-old Georgia captain met his new team-mates yesterday and should be in the squad.

Caretaker boss McDermott, who could be given the job permanently this week, said: "He can play centre-half, full-back or centre-midfield but he's predominantly a centre-half.

"He's been around the Premier League for a long time and he's played for Newcastle this season so he knows what to expect.

"He's 28 which is a good age and I just felt we needed to bring some games into the squad.

"We did that with Andy Griffin and Gunnar Thorvaldsson and now we've got Khizanishvili."

Sheffield United will also have ex-Reading striker Darius Henderson in their starting line-up, though former Royal Glen Little is injured.

Blackwell's side were knocked out of the FA Cup on Saturday after a 2-0 fourth round defeat at Bolton.