West Ham v Portsmouth preview

Campbell: Toe doubt

PREDICTIONS:
Skysports.com prediction: West Ham 0 Portsmouth 1
SkyBet odds: West Ham 6/4 Draw 12/5 Portsmouth 7/4
One to watch: Carlton Cole

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West Ham United will have to make a piece of history if they are to halt their slide down the Premier League table at home to Portsmouth.

Pompey have yet to lose a Premier League match at Upton Park - a record that Gianfranco Zola's Hammers will be gagging to rewrite.

They have lost five of the last six games and sit in 14th place - just one point above the crowded relegation zone.

The good news for them is that they have Valon Behrami back in the midfield after recovering from a calf injury. James Tomkins is also fit again, and front man Carlton Cole returns from suspension.

But Kieron Dyer is still sidelined despite returning to first-team training this week, and Diego Tristan is out of contention thanks to a knock picked up in the reserves.

Campbell doubt

Tony Adams is off the mark as manager of Portsmouth but may have to go for back-to-back wins without the aid of central defender Sol Campbell.

Campbell had been back in the side after a hamstring problem but now has a toe injury, meaning that Younes Kaboul is waiting on standby.

John Utaka has a stomach bug, which could mean a second successive start for Niko Kranjcar, and Glen Little could also start after recovering from a torn hamstring.

Adams will be hoping his side can start to show a glimpse of the total football brand promised by the arrival of Johnny Metgod as first-team coach - and if they can, they could push into the top six if other results go their way.

Possible starting XIs

West Ham: Green, Behrami, Collins, Upson, Ilunga, Faubert, Parker, Mullins, Bowyer, Bellamy, Cole.

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Kaboul, Distin, Pamarot, Kranjcar, Davis, Diarra, Belhadj, Defoe, Crouch.