What is football about if not to dream?

Keith Houchen headed the winning goal in Coventry's FA Cup win in 1987

I for one would like Frank Lampard to go as strong as he can in the FA Cup, but we can all understand if he does not.

In truth, City were given a chasing by Leeds on Wednesday, even though Illan Meslier made two outstanding saves to potentially deny them a point. His opposite number Oliver Dovin pulled off a string of stops that could have seen their opponents score seven in successive matches!

In the context of the season, and with QPR to come at the CBS Arena on Tuesday, Lampard can be forgiven for rotating his squad for the Ipswich cup tie, particularly with the backdrop of last season's run to the semi-finals costing them a place in the play-offs, because it undoubtedly did.

But the FA Cup brings with it lifetime memories - just ask the Sky Blues' fans who were at Molineux for the come-from-behind 3-2 win in the quarter-finals against Wolves last March and with the often irksome obstacle of replays being removed now, there is less reason to rest players.

1987 may be 38 years ago now but those of us lucky enough to be there are no doubt frequently transported back to Wembley on that sunny day in May, when the hottest of hot favourites Tottenham were beaten, and the world's greatest cup was destined for Coventry.

Unthinkable at the time, even more so in this day and age, but what is football about if not to dream, at least occasionally, before reality often brings you crashing back to earth, as happened against Leeds on Wednesday.