Portsmouth Vs Manchester United

Portsmouth will run fitness checks on groin injuries to defender Sol Campbell and midfielder Pedro Mendes.
Midfielder Gary O'Neil could return following summer ankle surgery, Kanu col start if boss Harry Redknapp opts to rotate his strikers.

Manchester United's new signing Carlos Tevez will make his debut.

Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are all injured, and Mikael Silvestre is also doubtful aftr limping out of the draw against Reading.

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Portsmouth (from): James, Lauren, Distin, Campbell, Hreidarsson, O'Neil, Pedro Mendes, Davis, Muntari, Kanu, Utaka, Nugent, Benjani, Hughes, Traore, Pamarot, Stefanovic, Traore, Ashdown.

Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Brown, Simpson, Ferdinand, Vidic, Silvestre, Pique, Evra, O'Shea, Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes, Hargreaves, Nani, Giggs, Ronaldo, Tevez, Saha, Solskjaer.
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BIG-MATCH FACTS
Portsmouth are looking to beat Manchester United for the fourth time in five home Premier League meetings.

United, who were surprisingly held to a goalless draw by Reading at Old Trafford on Sunday, have never failed to win at least one of their first two fixtures of a Premier League season.

This match brings together the two oldest managers in the Premier League; Sir Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp have a combined age of 125, with the Red Devils' boss the senior by five years, at 65 years of age.


PORTSMOUTH
Last season: 9th 54 points
1. One of only six current Premier League clubs to have been crowned champions of England in back-to-back seasons (1948-49 and 1949-50).

2. Just embarked on their fifth successive Premier League campaign.

3. Finished the previous four campaigns in 13th, 16th, 17th and ninth; their highest finish in English League football since notching third place in 1954-55.

4. Built a five-match unbeaten run of four wins and one draw from the outset of last season, and did not lose until a 0-1 home loss to Bolton on 25 September.

5. Spent the whole of last season in the top six until the end of January, and then fell away, and missed out on a Uefa Cup place, having failed to score in three of their last four.

6. Undefeated in four home Premier League matches.

7. Won three and drawn one at Fratton Park, since losing 0-2 to Chelsea on 3 March.


MANCHESTER UNITED
Last season: 1st 89 points
1. Won the Premier League title for the first time in four seasons and the ninth time overall last season. They had picked up the trophy eight times in the first 11 seasons since the inception of the league.

2. Attempting to win back-to-back titles for the sixth time, having managed it in 1956-57, 1993-94, 1996-97, 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 (when the hat-trick of titles was also achieved).

3. This is their 33rd consecutive season in the top-flight; only Arsenal (82 seasons), Everton (54) and Liverpool (46) have been in the highest league longer.

4. Sir Alex Ferguson begins his 21st full season in charge. He is the longest serving manager of all 92 English league clubs, now that Dario Gradi has become Director of Football at Crewe. Ferguson is also the most successful with 27 major titles from his time in charge of both Aberdeen and United.

5. Won the title last season with 28 victories and 83 goals, in which they built the longest home winning sequence in the Premier League of 10 matches.

6. Chasing a first maximum in four Premier League outings.

7. Not gone four league games without victory since 14 March 2004 when the fourth game in the sequence was defeat at Manchester City.


KEY PLAYER NOTES

PORTSMOUTH
Nwankwo KANU was Portsmouth's leading scorer last season with 12 goals - 10 of which were Premier League goals.

KANU is a hat trick shy of 50 career League goals in England.

David JAMES was one of seven players to have been on the field for every minute of his clubs' Premier League matches last season, and one of three goalkeepers. The others were Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton) and Paul Robinson (Tottenham).

If he keeps goal again, JAMES will be making his 133rd consecutive Premier League appearance (Manchester City and Portsmouth).

If he plays:-

Sean DAVIS will be making his 50th league appearance for Portsmouth.


MANCHESTER UNITED
RONALDO was Manchester United's leading marksman in the Premiership last season with 17. The Portugal World Cup star finished three behind Chelsea's Didier Drogba, who won the Barclays Golden Boot.

Paul SCHOLES is one goal short of holding the record outright as Manchester United's highest scorer of Premier League goals. He has netted 95 and equalled Ruud van Nistelrooy's total. Ryan GIGGS has scored 93 times in the Premier League.

GIGGS is a double short of 100 career League goals.

If he plays:-

Michael CARRICK will be making his 200th career Premier League appearance (West Ham, Tottenham and Manchester United).

If on the field from the outset:-

Gary NEVILLE will be making his 350th Premier League start - all for the Red Devils.

John O'SHEA will be making his 200th start for Manchester United.

Rio FERDINAND will be making his 150th Premier League start in a United shirt.


HEAD TO HEAD
Manchester United hold a 100% home Premier League record over Portsmouth of four wins from four matches.

United knocked Pompey out of the FA Cup last season, but have only won one League match in 20 years at Fratton Park; 1-2 on 11 February 2006, when Ronaldo scored a brace, and Ruud van Nistelrooy the other.

Home and away
League (inc PL): Portsmouth 17 wins, Man United 23, Draws 12
Prem: Portsmouth 3 wins, Man United 5, Draws 0

at Portsmouth only
League (inc PL): League: Portsmouth 11 wins, Man United 6, Draws 9
Prem: Portsmouth 3 wins, Man United 1, Draws 0


LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Portsmouth 2-1 Manchester United
7 April 2007 - Ref: Mark Clattenburg
Portsmouth scorers: Taylor 30, Ferdinand 89 og
Portsmouth scorer: O'Shea 90


REFEREE
Steve Bennett (Orpington, Kent)


After reading these information, what is your score prediction of this match?

Source - BBC Sport