Torres and Crouch face Reading in Carling Cup

Both Reading and Liverpool made wholesale changes for their Carling Cup, third-round clash at the Madejski Stadium.

Liverpool and England midfielder Steven Gerrard was left on the substitutes’ bench while Fernando Torres and Peter Crouch spearheaded the attack for the Reds.

Reading, like Liverpool, opted to rest some of their regular first-team players with goalkeeper Adam Federici, winger Bobby Convey, defenders Andre Bikey and Ulises De La Cruz all in the starting line-up along with strikers Leroy Lita and Shane Long.

Reading: Federici, Halls, Duberry, Bikey, Shorey, De la Cruz, Harper, Convey, Fae, Long, Lita.

Subs: Hahnemann, Cisse, Hunt, Kitson, Henry.

Liverpool: Itandje, Finnan, Carragher, Lucas, Aurelio, Arbeloa, Benayoun, Sissoko, Leto, Crouch, Torres.

Subs: Martin, Riise, Gerrard, Hobbs, Putterill.

Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)