It feels as if there is little new to learn about Huddersfield Town's FA Cup opponents.

Town have faced Reading twice a season in the Championship since 2013/14 and the January cup draw has thrown up a distinct sense of deja vu.

For the second season in a row, the Terriers will kick off the competition against the Royals.

Last year, Reading won 1-0 and went on to reach the FA Cup semi-finals, when they were downed by eventual winners Arsenal. But a lot has changed since the two sides shared the points in early November in the league clash at the Madejski Stadium.

On that occasion, the Royals finished the day a single point off the play-off places, while at Town change was brewing - that was the last game that Chris Powell stood in the manager's dugout.

Since then, David Wagner has brought back the excitement factor to this corner of Yorkshire, while Reading started to slide and Steve Clarke was sacked in early December. It is Brian McDermott who will bring his side to the John Smith's Stadium this weekend.

Although they have clocked up two more league wins than Huddersfield, Reading have struggled to score goals and the two teams have each netted 30 times in the league this season. However, Saturday's visitors have taken a total of 56 more shots than Town to do it, and that increased accuracy mean Town have a better rate of converting shots into goals than their Championship counterparts.

The Royals have scored four goals in their last seven matches - and finished the losing side in five of those.

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On the face of it, those statistics haven't been helped by the sale of top scorer Nick Blackman to Derby County on Wednesday morning. The 26-year-old had scored 13 goals in 26 appearances this season, with 11 coming in the league - summer signing Orlando Sa is the next highest contributor with five league strikes to his name.

Blackman was out of contract in the summer and while Reading may look to strengthen in the coming days and weeks, it has weakened their attacking options at least in the short term.

Rotherham v Reading at the New York Stadium. Nick Blackman celebrates his goal

The location of this cup clash could also work in Town's favour - Reading's away form is far inferior to results on home turf, with seven losses on the road compared with four at the Madejski. Excluding the Capital One Cup, Town's opponents have won just three times outside Reading this term, the last time coming against Burnley in September.

However, McDermott has warned Town to watch out for Matej Vydra, the man who helped Watford to promotion last season, while a familiar face has also had a season in the spotlight.

Former Huddersfield midfielder Oliver Norwood has been one of the standout performers for the Royals this term, and under a variety of managers has started every league game so far.

Huddersfield Town (0) v Bolton Wanderers (1) - Oliver Norwood.

With two goals and three assists to his name, his promise in the final third is clear - especially when you consider he's created 55 clear chances for his teammates in the league alone, but his defensive contribution, underlined by 88 interceptions to protect his back four, shouldn't be underestimated.

With the influence of Norwood and Vydra in the middle as well as a narrow 4-2-3-1 formation, it's no surprise to see Reading enjoy the majority of their attacking threat through the middle. Jonathan Hogg and Emyr Huws will have to be alert to cut out their favoured through-ball, but there should be more space for Town's full backs to bomb forward.

Although the Royals like to shoot from set pieces, they've only scored three times from free kicks and instead have had the most joy from a succession of long shots - they average 16 attempts per game.

If Town's likely midfield duo of Hogg and Huws can control the centre of the park and shut down the area in front of the back four, then the Terriers should have a good start on claiming a clean sheet.

Then it will be up to Wagner's attacking talents to take the initiative and fire Town into the fourth round.