Fratton Park welcomes Manchester United to its fields, with Portsmouth hoping to gain a standing in the Premier League this Monday. So puts your bets in and support your favorite on oncapan.com. Will it be Portsmouth or Manchester? Find out as we blog LIVE!
With Manchester United expecting Anderson to return to the game by Mondays match, it is still uncertain whether the star will begin the game on field. His return from the Olympics in China is certain, but playing him early in the fixture could do more harm than good. United lack midfield options at this point, and they would do good to keep their options open, in case Portsmouth pull a rabbit out of their proverbial hat.
With the return of a handful of crucial players to the sporting lineup, Manchester’s Carlos Tevez has returned after a personal matter kept him from part taking in the opener. Nani suffers from a three game ban, and the recovering Nemanja Vidic may show his form this match. The lack of players fielded this round may work to their advantage, with the team striving to demonstrate a quality performance, sometimes lacking when United have had a full bench to work with. Hargreaves has a remote chance of being involved against Pompey. But overall, United’s injury problems are worse than before, with Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick joining the sick list.
In front of their home fans, Portsmouth need to perform, with Harry Redknapp preparing his team to stand their ground this match. Previously on their home soil, Pompey have seen victory in front of the crowds. More than anything, Redknapp is hoping for another positive reaction from his team this game. A humbling 4-0 defeat at Stamford by Chelsea has scarred Pompey this past month. Noe Pamarot is out with a thigh injury, but Portsmouth field a full team and sideline complement. It is clear that Portsmouth are hoping to avoid a Premier League record, with the possibility of a humiliating sixth successive defeat on the horizon. In retrospect, Portsmouth have won three out of the five matches against Manchester at Fratton Park.
