Reading defender Ibrahima Sonko is "scared" that threats of violence made following his collision with Carlo Cudicini earlier this season could be carried out on St Stephen's Day.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech suffered a fractured skull while his replacement Cudicini was concussed in the same game, prompting death threats towards Sonko and Ireland's Stephen Hunt, the other player involved.

While Chelsea have vowed to take every precaution to ensure the players' safety, Sonko said: "That incident has gone away. But now the next game is coming up.

"I've been scared. You have to take the letters seriously. Some people are nasty and capable of stupid things when it comes to revenge. Me and Stephen probably got letters from the same people."  PA