Chelsea vs. Reading: Live Stream, TV Schedule and Preview

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard will be hoping his team take another step forward in pre-season on Sunday, when they face Reading in a friendly encounter.

The Blues have had a mixed set of results this summer, although they performed well in their most recent outing, getting the better of Barcelona. Tammy Abraham and Ross Barkley were on the scoresheet in a 2-1 win for Chelsea in at the Saitama Stadium in Japan.

With the team back on home soil, Lampard will surely ramp up preparations ahead of the new campaign. After this fixture, Chelsea have games against Bundesliga outfits Borussia Monchengladbach and RB Leipzig before their Premier League opener against Manchester United on August 11.

Date: Sunday, July 28

Time: 3 p.m. (BST), 10 a.m. (ET)

TV Info: Chelsea TV (UK)

Live Stream: Chelsea website (UK)

Preview

For Lampard, it's been a full-on introduction to managing Chelsea because he's had to take his team on a high-profile pre-season tour. 

Against Barcelona, there were signs the team had benefitted from the work being done on the training pitch, as the Blues were more than a match for their illustrious opponents. The extra energy and sharpness Chelsea had saw them on top in the contest for long spells.

Here is what the new Chelsea boss had to say about the winning display in Japan:

Abraham would have also been delighted to have grabbed a goal as he seeks to establish himself as part of the first-team setup at Stamford Bridge this season.

Per Football Whispers, he's been handed the No. 9 jersey at Chelsea, a shirt that has weighed down a number of its predecessors:

Lampard has also made stylistic tweaks to predecessor Maurizio Sarri's blueprint.

The Italian  exclusively played a 4-3-3 system, with Jorginho operating as a deep-lying playmaker at the base of the midfield trio. In pre-season, Lampard has favoured a 4-2-3-1 and showcased more flexibility in the way he wants the team to play.

Against Barcelona, Jorginho shifted into one of the two holding-midfield positions alongside Mateo Kovacic. Chelsea broadcaster Alex Goldberg thinks the formation is a better fit for a number of the club's midfielders:

For Chelsea fans making their way across to Reading, the match will also be a chance to get a first glimpse of their major summer acquisition, Christian Pulisic.

The United States international was deployed on the left flank—where former key man Eden Hazard operated for the Blues—against Barcelona and was lively in the 45 minutes he spent on the pitch. It's not surprise Chelsea supporters are excited about what the 20-year-old will offer this term.

Journalist Liam Twomey commented on how well the American was already linking with team-mates:

Reading begin their season a week before Chelsea, and as a result, they will be ahead of their opponents in terms of match fitness. As such, Jose Manuel Gomes' team should provide a solid test for the Premier League outfit.

With the two games in Germany likely to take priority, Lampard may see this encounter as a chance to take a look at some other options in his squad. Even so, the extra quality Chelsea have should see them to a narrow win.

Prediction: Reading 1-2 Chelsea