Portsmouth v Stoke preview

All of Pompey's goals have been scored by Englishmen this term

Last updated: 5th October 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Portsmouth v Stoke preview

Pulis: Heading for the South Coast

Skysports.com prediction: Portsmouth 1 Stoke 0

Sky Bet odds: Portsmouth 8/13, Draw 5/2, Stoke 11/2

One to Watch: Jermain Defoe

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Stoke City take on Portsmouth at Fratton Park looking for their first victory in five Premier League attempts.

The top flight new boys have recorded just one success in six games this season - a 3-2 triumph over Aston Villa.

Tony Pulis' side, like Pompey, have endured some testing fixtures during the early stages of the campaign and will be aiming for a positive result on Sunday before the international break ensues.

Portsmouth, meanwhile, currently lie ninth in the table and are seeking a fourth victory in five encounters.

The last corresponding match between the two teams came in the Championship in the 2002/03 season, with the home side claiming a 3-0 success.

Pompey manager Harry Redknapp is without Lassana Diarra for the game after the Frenchman was dismissed against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

Redknapp also has injury concerns over fellow midfielders Papa Bouba Diop (hamstring) and John Utaka (knee) following their Uefa Cup victory over Vitoria Guimaraes late on Thursday night.

Sean Davis should keep his place following his return from injury while new signings Younes Kaboul and Glen Little, along with Arnold Mvuemba , are pressing their claims for starting berths.

Former Portsmouth boss Pulis has concerns over long-throw specialist Rory Delay, who is rated as 50-50 for the encounter after he missed the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea with a hamstring injury.

Possible starting XIs

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Belhadj, Little, Hughes, Davis, Traore, Crouch, Defoe.

Stoke: Sorensen, Griffin, Cort, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Amdy Faye, Lawrence, Olofinjana, Diao, Kitson, Fuller.