Pompey strike duo near return

Kanu: Set to return

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• David Nugent
• Nwankwo Kanu

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Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp could see his new-look strikeforce at full strength for their next game against Middlesbrough.

So far this season, Redknapp has had only on-loan Chelsea youngster Ben Sahar as cover for Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe.

But Kanu and David Nugent should soon be putting pressure on Pompey's first-choice strike pairing after returning from injury in the reserves' 3-1 win over Fulham in midweek.

The pair saw their first match action for over a month, with Nugent playing the first half following a groin injury, while Kanu came on at the break after recovering from a dead leg and ankle problems.

"It was great to see the pair of them back - they've been out a while," Redknapp told The News.

Short

"We've been short of cover up front. Ideally you want four or five strikers to choose from every game, but so far this season that just hasn't happened.

"These days, with seven players on the bench, you want two strikers sat on it. That hasn't happened yet, we've just had Sahar.

"Kanu came on in the second half and it was good to see him get a goal. He's been out a while and it's just about getting match practice.

"I thought Nugent looked all right, too. He came off at half-time, but we had agreed that was all he was having.

"We don't want to push them too much, you don't want anything else to happen. We'll just have to see how they get on and whether they can be considered for Boro."