Premier League Preview: Portsmouth - Manchester United

Pompey desperate for change in fortunes as Avram Grant takes charge…

Nov 27, 2009 1:25:59 PM

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Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs in action against Portsmouth's Richard Hughes at Old Trafford

Kick-off: Saturday, November 28, 2009 – 15:00 GMT
Fratton Park, Portsmouth

Portsmouth will be hoping that a change of manager will have the desired effect as Avram Grant steps up to the plate in an attempt to steer the club away from the Premier League's relegation zone.
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Manchester United, meanwhile, humbled by Besiktas at Old Trafford in midweek, will be rightly confident of piling on the misery at Fratton Park although Pompey's decent home record against the champions will give heart to the home faithful.

Following the dismissal of Paul Hart earlier this week, Portsmouth acted swiftly to appoint his replacement. Grant may well have been on the brink of greatness when he led Chelsea to the Champions League final in Moscow in 2008 (and who knows where he would be now if John Terry hadn't slipped at the crucial moment?) but it remains to be seen how he will approach life in the managerial hotseat of a club in the depths of the Premier League.

With Chelsea travelling to the Emirates on Sunday, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, watching on from the stands at Fratton Park as he serves a two-match touchline ban, will know that three points against Portsmouth will, if only temporarily, cut the deficit to just two points at the summit of England's top flight. Whereas a win for Pompey would drag them off the foot of the table and would signal the perfect start for their new Israeli boss.

FORM GUIDE

Portsmouth

22 Nov: Stoke City 1-0 Portsmouth (Premier League)
7 Nov: Blackburn Rovers 3-2 Portsmouth (Premier League)
31 Oct: Portsmouth 4-0 Wigan Athletic (Premier League)
27 Oct: Portsmouth 4-0 Stoke City (League Cup)
24 Oct: Hull City 0-0 Portsmouth (Premier League)

Manchester United

25 Nov: Man Utd 0-1 Besiktas (Champions League)
21 Nov: Man Utd 3-0 Everton (Premier League)
8 Nov: Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd (Premier League)
3 Nov: Man Utd 3-3 CSKA Moscow (Champions League)
31 Oct: Man Utd 2-0 Blackburn Rovers (Premier League)

TEAM NEWS

Portsmouth

The major injury worry for Portsmouth focuses on David James – the England goalkeeper continues to struggle with the calf injury he sustained in the warm-up against Stoke City last weekend. Jamie Ashdown is expected to deputise once more as he did at the Britannia Stadium.

Papa Bouba Diop (hamstring) and John Utaka (thigh) could both be back in contention although arguably the best outcome they can both hope for is a place on the subs' bench.

Long-term injury casualty Linvoy Primus remains on the sidelines with a foot injury but Steve Finnan could come back into the side after a spell out with a groin problem.

Possible starting XI: Ashdown; Ben Haim, Kaboul, Hreidarsson, Wilson; Brown, Boateng, O'Hara, Mullins; Kanu, Dindane.

Manchester United

After a makeshift side consisting mainly of academy graduates were beaten in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, Sir Alex Ferguson will undoubtedly reshuffle his pack and bring back a host of first-team regulars.

United have considerable problems at the heart of their defence though, with Rio Ferdinand (calf), John O'Shea (thigh) and Jonny Evans (calf) all unavailable, which means Wes Brown and Nemanja Vidic will start at the back.

Gary Neville and Rafael will be battling for a start at right-back, while Dimitar Berbatov should be fit enough to start up front with Wayne Rooney also set to return having missed the champions' last four games.

Possible starting XI: Van der Sar; Evra, Brown, Vidic, Neville; Giggs, Carrick, Fletcher, Valencia; Rooney, Berbatov.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Portsmouth – Jamie O'Hara

Since joining Pompey on-loan from Spurs in the summer, O'Hara has proved something of a revelation in the centre of midfield. It seems difficult to comprehend that the 23-year-old was only deemed good enough for League One just two years ago as I'm sure many Premier League sides would snap him up tomorrow if they could.

Set-pieces may just be key if Portsmouth have any hope of snatching a result against the champions and with O'Hara in the team, they should be guaranteed decent delivery from corners and free-kicks.

Manchester United – Dimitar Berbatov

Despite having beaten Everton 3-0 last week, all three of United's goals came from midfield. The fact is, Ferguson's team have only won one of their last four games and desperately need a creative spark up front to aid the energy and enthusiasm of Rooney.

Berbatov scored in his last outing for the club, against Blackburn Rovers, with a typically deft finish and United fans will certainly be hoping for a lot more of the same from the Bulgarian as the hectic Christmas period approaches.

PREDICTION

With a new manager in place and a sense of renewed optimism, Fratton Park will be rocking come three o'clock on Saturday afternoon and that is sure to lift the undoubtedly beleaguered Pompey players given their current predicament.

While Manchester United have a pretty poor recent record on the south coast (three defeats and one draw from six matches), one would still expect they will have too much quality for their battling opponents and an early goal could prove the knockout blow.

Portsmouth 1–2 Manchester United

Stephen Darwin, Goal.com UK
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