Reading Under-21 are to come up against former boss Mehmet Ali on Friday as the knockout rounds of the Premier League Cup gets underway.
Noel Hunt's team progressed from a group containing Wolves, Sunderland and Cardiff City- finishing second.
Leaving in 2021 to join the Gunners, Ali oversaw the development of the likes of Jahmari Clarke, Kelvin Abrefa and Coniah Boyce-Clarke in the highly-regarded youth system.
Not in the same league, with the Royals currently a Category Two academy, it will be a chance for Reading to pit their wits against higher calibre opposition.
💬 "These games are always a great opportunity to learn."
— Arsenal Academy (@ArsenalAcademy) January 29, 2023
🎙️ Mehmet Ali on the importance of #AFCU21 learning lessons from each performance 👇
However, Reading have their own pedigree in the competition, winning the inaugural Premier League Cup in 2014- beating Manchester City over two legs.
Due to take place on Friday, February 3, the quarter-final will take place at Meadow Park- home of National League Boreham Wood.
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