Crouch: Back on the South Coast

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Peter Crouch is hoping to make an instant impact for Portsmouth at Wembley this Sunday.

The England international, who re-joined Pompey over the summer from Liverpool, is expected to line up for Harry Redknapp's men in the Community Shield contest against Manchester United.

The languid striker notched a trademark header against Chelsea two years ago to give his former club victory in the annual season curtain raiser.

As such, the fixture holds fond memories for Crouch and he is desperate to repeat the heroics of his past once he steps out for his new club at the national stadium this weekend.

Fantastic occasion

"The Community Shield holds good memories for me," he said.

"I headed the winner about 10 minutes from the end against Chelsea two years ago and it was doubly good because I had one disallowed in the FA Cup final against West Ham a few months earlier.

"I've come back to Portsmouth to further my career and it would be a great start to do something special at Wembley.

"It's going to be really hard against United even though they've got a few missing, but playing at Wembley lifts everybody.

"It's a fantastic occasion - just like a cup final and with all the new signings turning out."

Past results

Redknapp's FA Cup holders are expected to give a good account of themselves against Sir Alex Ferguson's Premier League champions, and fancy their chances of getting their hands on the silverware.

The two sides did meet in a pre-season friendly in Africa earlier in the summer, with United running out 2-1 winners, but Crouch believes that game will have no bearing on their upcoming encounter and neither side can claim to hold a psychological advantage.

"I wouldn't really count that last result," he said.

"The pitch was a bit bobbly out in Nigeria and neither side was really fit.

"We've done a lot since then and we'll see what happens."