PHIL Parkinson reckons the incentive of returning to a play-off spot tonight will keep City firmly grounded amid the FA Cup hype.

Victory at Coventry would lift the Bantams back to up sixth and maintain the momentum built up by their on-going cup heroics.

City now know they will face Arsenal at Wembley if they can get past Reading in next week’s quarter-final replay.

Last night’s cup draw has evoked memories of the epic shoot-out victory over the Gunners in the Capital One Cup two seasons ago.

But first Parkinson wants to see his side back in the thick of the play-off race.

He said: “The league is so tight and if we win we go back into the top six. That is a huge incentive.

“In this mini-league that is developing, Sheffield United losing two home games in a week was huge and, all of a sudden there could be two places up for grabs.”

Ben Williams will keep his place in goal after Jordan Pickford’s recall by Sunderland yesterday.

The keeper’s youth loan expired on his 21st birthday on Saturday and the relegation-threatened Black Cats blocked City’s bid to extend his stay on a new deal because they would not have been able to recall him for the first month.

Parkinson said: “We told Sunderland ‘you do realise, you’re only risking two Premier League games in that time’. But they’ve still said no, which is their prerogative.

“I do feel the FA have got to look at that because it’s a real shame for the lad himself. We’ve had him all season on loan, then we still had to go through another 28 days without the recall.

“It’s disappointing to lose him because he’s been terrific. But fortunately we’ve got a very good keeper in Ben Williams.”

City are trying to bring in a short-term replacement but Matt Urwin will be on the bench. The club will send him out on loan when they have another keeper.

James Hanson (dead leg), Filipe Morais (stiff knee) and Andy Halliday (groin) are all doubts as City’s hectic calendar continues at the Ricoh Arena. It will be their tenth game in 31 days.

Parkinson said: “A schedule like that is what happens when you do well in the cups. We will utilise all the squad over this six-day period.

“We are looking forward to it. The lads who didn’t play against Reading all trained very well so we have options in selection.

“The Crawley result last week was crucial. For the lads who hadn’t been playing, it lifted the morale of the group. We know anyone of them can come in and do a job.”

Last night’s semi-final draw has stoked the FA Cup fever but Parkinson stressed that their exploits had already warranted a place in the history books.

“We all watched the draw, of course, and just enjoyed being in the hat. It is an incredible achievement.

“It is a fact that we were in the draw for the last four for the first time since 1911. Bradford City were mentioned with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa.”

In the other semi-final, Villa will face the winners of the replay between Blackburn and Liverpool. The semi-finals will be on the weekend of April 18 and 19.