The Eagles are looking to put their woeful Premier League form to one side when they lock horns with the Royals on Friday, with a trip to Wembley on offer for the victors
Crystal Palace must quickly forget their contentious defeat against Liverpool if they are to beat Reading in the FA Cup quarter-finals and book a trip to Wembley.
Palace's winless run in the Premier League was stretched to 12 matches following Sunday's 2-1 reverse against the Reds.
However, the defeat was not without controversy as Damian Delaney was adjudged to have fouled Christian Benteke in the penalty area in injury time, before the Belgian converted the resulting spot-kick.
The awarding of the penalty split football fans and pundits alike, with Palace midfielder Joe Ledley claiming afterwards that he thought Benteke dived.
But Palace can not afford to dwell on the setback as they prepare to travel to the Madejski Stadium on Friday seeking further solace in the FA Cup.
While they have struggled in the league, the world's oldest cup competition has provided some respite for Palace, with Southampton, Stoke City and high-flying Tottenham all beaten en route to the last eight.
One dilemma for Pardew, a former Reading player and manager, could be his choice of goalkeeper if number one Wayne Hennessey fails to recover from a knock that kept him out against Liverpool.
Deputy Alex McCarthy made a costly error when Palace were leading 1-0 against the Merseysiders, slipping and clearing the ball straight to Roberto Firmino, who levelled for the visitors.
Veteran Julian Speroni could also be handed his first appearance of the season, but no matter who gets the nod, Ledley has defended McCarthy's performance against Liverpool.
"He doesn't go out there to make a mistake, no one does," Ledley told the Croydon Advertiser.
"He slipped and I actually feel sorry for him because he was fantastic and made some good saves."
In Reading, Palace face a side that reached the FA Cup semi-finals last season, where they were beaten 2-1 by Arsenal – a costly error from goalkeeper Adam Federici allowing Alexis Sanchez to score the all-important winner at Wembley.
The Berkshire club have reached the quarter-finals four times in the last seven seasons but they haven't had the best preparation for Friday's affair, losing 3-1 to Huddersfield on Tuesday.
However, manager Brian McDermott - whose side are 14th in the Championship - insists his charges will quickly shake off the result in time for facing Palace.
"You don't want to lose a game 3-1 away from home, but this result will have no bearing on Friday's game whatsoever," he told Reading's official website.
"We're looking forward to a great night on Friday, in front of a full house at the Madejski and there will be plenty of great nights to come."
- Goal