PHIL Parkinson will use tonight's opponents as a timely reminder of what can happen if City "take their eye off the ball" amid the FA Cup excitement.

The Bantams return to league action at Leyton Orient – the first of five games before the quarter-final clash with Reading.

Parkinson maintains that points will be their only concern in that time and not the mouth-watering prospect of being one win from Wembley.

Orient saw promotion snatched away at the national stadium nine months ago after losing the play-off final on penalties to Rotherham.

But they are now desperately fighting the drop after a nightmare season that sees them on their fourth different manager.

Parkinson watched the O's clamber off the bottom with a surprise weekend win at Chesterfield and said: "They were the better team. But I was talking to a few Orient fans before the game and they're amazed at how they've ended up in this situation.

"They have only lost two players from last season, so there is nothing a great deal different to the team that was doing so well then.

"But there's been all this turmoil going on behind the scenes. It really does show you that as a club, it doesn't take much for things to go wrong if you take your eye off the ball.

"Obviously there was a slight hangover from losing the final, then the club being sold and Russell Slade going.

"There was a togetherness about Orient last year and maybe that's been disrupted by Russell leaving and then different managers coming and going."

City are likely to be without Jon Stead, who needed stitches in his ankle after the Sunderland game. But Parkinson believes they are in "a good place" for a hectic run.

Orient's win was their first in six games for latest boss Fabio Liverani, who has to communicate team talks through a translator because he does not speak English.

Parkinson said: "Chopping and changing managers never helps, especially when you've got them coming in from abroad and they are new to the league.

"Management is a hard enough job anyway but trying to learn the language as well – goodness me.

"But I'm sure Fabio Liverani will be learning each week about his players. Obviously they are learning because of the way they played on Saturday."

If Stead misses out, Parkinson may revert to Billy Clarke as the second striker with Andy Halliday returning to midfield. Mark Yeates and Francois Zoko are also pushing to step up from the bench.

Parkinson is happy to mix things up for the approaching games, saying: "We know the busy schedule coming up – but that's what happens when you are successful in cups.

"We had that two seasons ago and changed the team around quite a lot during that period and we are expecting to do the same.

"We've got a few knocks from Sunday and Jon Stead had to have stitches in an ankle wound. He is going to be a big doubt.

"But there are others waiting to come in. It's an opportunity to utilise the squad to its maximum.

"You can't fault Billy Clarke for the way he has taken his chance since he got back in the team.

"It was a tough decision leading into the Sunderland game to leave out Andy Halliday because he has done well for us.

"But it was based purely on that game. We felt their midfield weren't great at closing you down and that would give Billy Knott time and space on the ball and he is our best player in that situation.

"We've brought in Gary MacKenzie and he's chomping at the bit to play. We've got Yeatesy and there are other players who didn't even make the bench on Sunday, so there's decent competition.

"We'll keep picking the best team. All you can do is train well and do all you can to earn the opportunity."