CHELSEA Cech  Ivanovic, David Luiz, Terry, Cole Lampard, Mikel Ramires, Mata, Hazard Torres

READING Federici Gunter, Pearce, Gorkss, Harte McCleary, Guthrie, Leigertwood, McAnuff Robson-Kanu Le Fondre

Marko Marin was absent (hamstring) from the Blues’ first game away to Wigan and is unlikely to return as quickly as midweek. Ramires (illness) was another who missed the game at the DW Stadium but will more than likely slot into the first team at Ryan Bertrand’s expense.

Oscar will hope to make the move from substitute to starting line-up but it might be too soon for the Brazilian playmaker. Di Matteo seems to have settled on David Luiz and John Terry as the centre-back partnership for now meaning Gary Cahill will probably watch from the bench.

Reading’s only injured player is midfielder Jimmy Kebe (hamstring), whom manager Brain McDermott has confirmed will miss the start of the season. Striker Jason Roberts will serve the final match of his ban for a red card received back in April when the club were still in the Championship.

The Royals manager might choose to take Pavel Pogrebnyak out of the side in place of an extra midfielder, in which case Garath McCleary - who won the penalty which allowed the side to bring the scores level in the 90th minute this weekend - could get the nod.

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  Chelsea did not have a good pre-season heading into this Premier League campaign. They had lost their previous three games in a row, before beating Wigan, including a 3-1 loss away to Brighton and Hove Albion.

• Branislav Ivanovic and Frank Lampard (pictured right) scored the goals that gave Roberto Di Matteo’s a win in their first game of the season against the Latics.

• Fernando Torres will be a key figure for the Champions League winners this campaign as the club adjusts to life without Didier Drogba. The £50 million striker will want to average higher than the one goal he scored for every 318 minutes he spent on the pitch during last season’s league matches.

• The west London team beat all three of the promoted teams in the prior season at home, though each side managed to get onto the scoresheet in the 90 minutes.

• Reading have won eight of their last 11 league matches away from the Madejski Stadium.

• The Blues, on the other hand, have won nine of their last 11 competitive ties at Stamford Bridge.

• Ryan Bertrand, who started Chelsea’s game against the Latics on Sunday, spent a season on loan with the Royals in the 2009-10 season. He came third in the club’s voting for Player of the Season. The winner? New Tottenham signing Gylfi Sigurdsson.

• Reading have never beaten the Blues in a competitive match away from home in nine attempts. The last time Wednesday’s visitors conquered Chelsea in a league match was way back in November 1926.