Murty: Blues are only grinders

READING captain Graeme Murty claims Chelsea may be winners but they are still not great entertainers.

The Royals travel to Stamford Bridge tonight (8pm) hoping for a repeat of last season’s 2-2 draw. Chelsea aim to stay in touching distance of Manchester United and Arsenal and it is the Gunners Murty believes are the one truly entertaining side in the Premier League.

He said: “Arsenal are unique. There is no-one else in the world that plays their particular style.

“Chelsea offer you much more of an orthodox threat in set-up and build-up and can grind out results very well. They are not averse to a 1-0 win and doing just enough to get that.

“They are past masters of it like Manchester United have been. And a win is a win. When it comes to the end of the season points are tallied up for the title.”

Reading manager Steve Coppell elected to leave Stephen Hunt on the bench last season after the Irishman was involved in a collision with Petr Cech at the Madejski Stadium in October that left the keeper with a fractured skull. Hunt will keep his place tonight, however, and the game also doubles as a chance for striker Dave Kitson to impress ahead of Fabio Capello’s first England squad.

Meanwhile Chelsea boss Avram Grant has revealed a combination of high prices and a lack of quality players prevented him from further strengthening his squad in the transfer window.

Chelsea have so far paid out around £27 million on signing Nicolas Anelka from Bolton, Branislav Ivanovic from Lokomotiv Moscow and Franco di Santo from Chilean side Audax Italiano. The Israeli coach had wanted two more players to bolster a squad hit by injuries and players departing to compete in the African Nations Cup but Grant accepts it is unlikely there will be more additions to his squad.

“We have only two days but I never stop looking,” said Grant.

Chelsea are not expected to have any of their injured players back to face the Royals. Michael Ballack (calf), John Terry (foot), Andriy Shevchenko (back) and Frank Lampard (thigh) are all back in training but not yet fit enough.

But Grant has been particularly impressed with the form of former Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell.

The 25-year-old joined the club on a free transfer from Steve Coppell’s side last summer and has impressed during the last month while Chelsea have been without four players in the African Nations Cup.

“Steve is important,” said Grant. “In the last two games he has done a very good job.”