Kwesi Appiah has admitted that he has a conflict of interests when Reading meet Arsenal at Wembley on Saturday in the club’s first FA Cup semi-final for 88 years.

The Ghana international is cup-tied and ineligible for the final-four clash, but has confirmed that he will be in attendance.

Speaking to the Reading Chronicle, Appiah has revealed that he will be supporting his current employers, the Royals, and will be hoping that they can beat his beloved Gunners.

“I’ll be cheering on from the stands as I’m cup tied,” he began. “Arsenal are the team that I support so it’s a bit of a double-edged sword with that and being ineligible.

“I’ll be sat there supporting Reading, though. Of course, I want us to win.”

Steve Clarke’s side have advanced to the semi-finals after victories over Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City, Derby County and Bradford City, but now meet Premier League Arsenal in one of the biggest matches in Reading’s history.

Appiah hasn’t been wholly convincing since arriving in Berkshire on loan from Crystal Palace, where he was overlooked for the Eagles’ Premier League squad.

“It was a good chance to come here and get games,” he continued.

“It was an easy decision to make to come here. I spoke to Steve Clarke and also to Glenn Murray and they both said good things, which meant it wasn’t a hard decision.”

He has featured four times since moving to the Madejski Stadium, but has started only once and is yet to find the net.

Despite a fine array of offensive options, Reading are enjoying an indifferent campaign and their excellent run in the FA Cup comes in sharp contrast to their disappointing league form, they currently sit down in 18th with four matches left to play.

Appiah is enjoying a breakout year of sorts; he was an unlikely inclusion in Avram Grant’s squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, but impressed in Equatorial Guinea, starting the final as the Black Stars claimed the silver medal.