PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: READING V CHELSEA
Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton continue their look at tonight's game...
TACTICAL BRIEF
Key battles
In contrast to the FA Cup-holders' away draw at the weekend, Reading enjoyed a one-sided 4-0 victory over Sheffield United and rested one or two regulars.
More than half star performer Adam Le Fondre's appearances have started from the bench. Before last weekend the only full 90 minutes he had played in 2013 was the previous 3-1 FA Cup win at Crawley.
The best indication of his effectiveness is that in his last 47 minutes of Premier League football the 26-year-old has hit three goals. He is not the traditional English centre-forward, liking the ball played along the ground, and is adept at finding dangerous areas in the final third and shoots virtually on sight.
John Terry began his return to match fitness at Griffin Park on Sunday and is more likely to face the more physical presence of Pavel Pogrebnyak (pictured below) should he retain his place, as seems likely.
Terry's leadership and communication were evident on Sunday and have been sorely missed since he hobbled off against Liverpool in mid-November, having scored the opening goal.
Rafael Benitez must decide whom to play alongside Terry and whether to reinstate the partially rested Cesar Azpilicueta at right-back.
The manager has confirmed Petr Cech's absence this evening but forecast his possible return at St James' Park at the weekend.
Reading boss Brian McDermott has used a defensive 4-5-1 formation in recent games, with two of his wingers Jimmy Kébé, Jobi McAnuff and Gareth McLeary asked to work up and down the flanks tirelessly. Teams that have sat back and deployed hard-working widemen have enjoyed notable success against Chelsea all season.
Without the game-changing trickery and pace of Eden Hazard and Victor Moses down the lines the Blues may find it even harder to break teams down. The progress of Moses and fellow Nigerian John Mikel Obi at the Africa Cup of Nations means they will not return from South Africa before the Wigan game at the earliest.
Juan Mata should return to the starting line-up and possibly Demba Ba, one man who will definitely fancy his chances of scoring tonight. The Senegalese striker hit both Newcastle United's goals in their 2-2 draw at the Madejski Stadium in September, the first with a magnificent striding volley, the second under a suspicion of handball.
Meanwhile, at Brentford Fernando Torres hit his first goal since the opener in the 8-0 pre-Christmas thrashing of Aston Villa. It was set up by substitute Ba, who was playing alongside him - more food for thought for Chelsea's manager.
Squad fitness news
Petr Cech (calf), David Luiz (ankle) and Oriol Romeu (knee) are unavailable for Chelsea.
Reading are without striker Jason Roberts (hip) problem while fellow forward Noel Hunt is a doubt.
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