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His side have had bigger problems winning at home recently rather than away but when asked if the first leg was their best chance he said: "I don't know. In terms of preparing a team it's just a case of taking each game in isolation. We try to win every game and that's possibly why we've lost a couple at home. If we'd been more conservative we'd have got more points.
"I watched the DVD this week from our game at Burnley this season and we could have won. We were very disappointed to have lost, but at home we won 3-1 and that flattered us a bit. There's nothing between the teams, nobody is favourite and the betting will be tight.
"Burnley's number of games will not have a bearing, absolutely not. We've both had the same time to recover since our last game and our fixture lists have been the same for weeks. But sometimes a tight-knit squad helps.
"The key is just playing well. I've gone up in the play offs when finishing third and also when finishing sixth. You need, for a limited time, to get the best from your squad."
Owen Coyle is looking forward to another big home crowd. "When we sell out Turf Moor the atmosphere is absolutely brilliant," he said. "It is difficult in this day and age, money is tight, but all credit to the fans though because they keep on coming.
"They stood for seven hours in the rain the other day and I made the point of making sure the players saw them standing there because that's what it means for them, to stand in terrible conditions.
"I wanted the players to know exactly what it means because it's not just about us coming in and playing a game of football. It's not just about the team and it's not just about the supporters that come, it's a whole town that's really looking for you to do your best. I think the players have done their best, and they'll go and do that again."
He continued: "I need to keep driving everybody on and driving myself on. As a player I don't think I was ever the best in the world but I had a real desire to be the very best I could be.
"I was able to play in the Premier League, not as long as I would have liked, but we earned it through the play offs at Bolton, and that's what I want my players to do. I know that group have far more ability that I ever had, so it's up to them how far they want to go.
"When you look back we had two points after four games and I think we were eight points behind both Preston and Wolves. We then had the spell at Christmas and New Year when we had the five games we lost in amongst the cup games.
"Reading, Birmingham and even Wolves have had a dip as well, but if you take those nine games out of the equation we've averaged two points per game from every other game. That type of form has led us to where we are.
"People talk about being fifth in the Championship and it's great, but that's done with. Championship standings are what they are, and now we come into a cup tie situation home and away.
"We all know what the prize at stake is, with an opportunity to get to Wembley. But to do that we're going to have to be at our very best as we were in the cup competitions, and hopefully that will serve us well.
"I dare say Reading will look at it and say they've got big game experience from their time in the Premier League, and they probably have. But we'll look at what we can do and prepare the same way as we did for those cup games.
"To have beaten both Champions League semi-finalists this year shows how far this club has come. But we want to make sure we are continuing that progress and to do that we have to be at our very best.
"They've shown they're up for the fight, they've shown they've got ability, and as well as all that they've got a real hunger and desire to win games. The prize is now there for everyone to see, so we have to go and maximise it and make the best of it."