The mythical Wembley Stadium will provide the setting for this weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals as holders Arsenal take on Reading today and Aston Villa play Liverpool tomorrow.

Arsenal, who won the competition last season after coming from two goals down to beat Hull City 3-2 in the final, are looking to lift the trophy for a record 12th time while Reading are still in search of their first cup success.

In reaching the semi-finals, Reading have already equalled their best feat in the tournament. They had progressed to the last four in the 1927 FA Cup.

That year they were beaten by Cardiff 3-0 as the Bluebirds went on to become the first Welsh team to win the cup after defeating Arsenal in the final.

Arsenal are looking to become the first club to successfully defend the trophy since Chelsea in 2009 (2-1 Everton) and 2010 (1-0 Portsmouth).

Arsenal and Reading have met three times in previous FA Cup matches, with the Gunners enjoying a perfect record.

January 1987 (third round)

Reading-Arsenal - 1-3

February 1972 (fourth round)

Reading-Arsenal - 1-2

February 1935 (fifth round)

Reading-Arsenal - 0-1

Arsenal are enjoying a strong run in the Premier League to shoot to the second place in the standings. Last week, they beat Burnley 1-0 to remain seven points adrift of league leaders Chelsea.

Reading are in the lower part of the Championship standings – 18th place but eight points clear of the relegation zone.

On Wednesday, Reading ex-tended their winless run in the Championship to six matches as they were beaten by Bourne-mouth 1-0 at home.

Tomorrow’s semi-final is an all Premier League clash as Aston Villa face Liverpool.

Under the management of Tim Sherwood, the Midlanders have been showing the spirit that has been missing and the former Spurs boss has helped Christian Benteke rediscover his scoring form that is boosting their push to avoid the drop.

Villa are facing a selection crisis as Carlos Sanchez is suspended, Ciaran Clark out injured and Gabriel Agbonlahor doubtful.

Liverpool come into the match in high spirits after Monday’s 2-0 win over Newcastle kept them in the running for a late push for a Champions League berth.

Jordan Ibe is expected to agree a new long-term contract at Liverpool with Brendan Rodgers set to hand the teenager an instant recall after a long lay-off but Daniel Sturridge is unlikely to recover from injury.

In the Premiership this season Villa upset Liverpool away 1-0, courtesy of an Agbonlahor goal.

But the Reds turned the tables on their opponents with a 2-0 (Borini, Lambert) win at Villa Park.

This will be the fourth time that Villa and Liverpool will meet in the last four of the FA Cup.

The entire record reads as follows:

March 1996 (semi-final)

Liverpool-Aston Villa - 3-0

March 1992 (quarter-final)

Liverpool-Aston Villa - 1-0

January 1988 (fourth round)

Aston Villa-Liverpool - 0-2

January 1984 (third round)

Liverpool-Aston Villa - 3-0

February 1967 (fourth round)

Liverpool-Aston Villa - 1-0

March 1914 (semi-final)

Liverpool-Aston Villa - 2-0

March 1897 (semi-final)

Aston Villa-Liverpool - 3-0

Fixtures and forecast...

FA Cup semi-finals

Today:
Arsenal-Reading - 1
(Wembley Stadium, 18:20)

Tomorrow:
Aston Villa-Liverpool - 2
(Wembley Stadium, 16:00)

Premier League
Chelsea - Man. United (18:30) - X
Crystal Palace-West Brom - 1
Everton-Burnley - 1
Leicester-Swansea - 1
Stoke-Southampton - X

Tomorrow:
Man. City-West Ham (14:30) - X
Newcastle-Tottenham (17:00) - X

Standings: Chelsea 73; Arsenal 66; Man. United 65; Man. City 61; Liverpool 57; Southampton 56; Tottenham 54; Swansea 47; West Ham, Stoke 43; C. Palace 42; Everton 38; Newcastle 35; WBA 33; Aston Villa 32; Sunderland 29; Hull 28; QPR, Burnley 26; Leicester 25.

The Championship
Blackburn-Nottm Forest - X
Blackpool-Fulham - 2
Bournemouth-Sheffield Wed. - 1
Brentford-Bolton - 1
Cardiff-Millwall - 1
Charlton-Leeds - 1
Huddersfield-Derby - 2  
Watford-Birmingham - 1
Wigan-Brighton - X
Wolves-Ipswich (13:15) - X

League One
Barnsley-Peterborough - X
Bristol City-Coventry City - 1
Colchester-Scunthorpe - X
Crawley-Notts County - X
Crewe-Walsall - X
Doncaster-Fleetwood - 1
Gillingham-Rochdale - 2
MK Dons-Leyton Orient - 1
Oldham-Chesterfield - X
Sheffield Utd-Bradford - 1
Swindon-Yeovil - 1

League Two
Accrington-Stevenage - X
AFC Wimbledon-Wycombe - X
Cambridge-Mansfield - 1
Carlisle-Plymouth - 2
Exeter-Southend - X
Luton-Hartlepool - 1
Morecambe-Burton - 2
Newport-Dagenham - 1
Northampton-Cheltenham - 1
Portsmouth-Bury - X
Shrewsbury-York - 1
Tranmere-Oxford - X

Hot four
Crystal Palace, Everton, Leicester City, Bournemouth.

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