Portsmouth v United: Preview

November 27, 2009

JONNY Evans and John O'Shea remain doubtful for United's trip to Portsmouth tomorrow.

Evans picked up a calf injury on international duty with Northern Ireland a fortnight ago, while O'Shea suffered an thigh injury during the Republic of Ireland's controversial World Cup play-off defeat to France.

Patrice Evra is set to return, along with Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, Edwin van der Sar and Darren Fletcher as United look to close the gap on leaders Chelsea to two points ahead of the Londoners' meeting with Arsenal.

New Portsmouth boss Avram Grant, who has taken charge of training for the first time today, will have the backing of the notoriously vociferous Fratton Park fans.

The former Chelsea manager replaces Paul Hart, who was sacked on Tuesday with the club rooted to the foot of the Premier League with only seven points from 13 games.

Grant's first match is against a familiar foe in United. The Israeli will no doubt be hoping to turn the tables on Sir Alex Ferguson's side as his last game in charge of Chelsea was the Champions League final of 2008.

It ended in agony for Grant with his team losing on penalties in Moscow.

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Gerry, Glastonbury (27/11/2009 at 13:46)

I feel a special performance coming on from the rested ones!
VDS, Fab / Nev, Wes, Vid & Patrice. Valencia Scholes, Fletch & Giggs. Rooney. Berb.
Expect some fireworks!

ENGINEER, Heywood (27/11/2009 at 14:16)

Beware the new manager syndrome which always seems to effect United.

Monkey tennis?, yes please (27/11/2009 at 14:31)

Indeed Mr Engineer, i was thinking the same thing, but it has happened a few times hasn't it????

And i want some of that friday feeling that Gerry's got, go get 'em big man, sounds like Mrs Gerry is in for a good weekend.

Gilly, Belgium (27/11/2009 at 14:53)

Come on united ! go get em !

Seamus, Vanisle,ex-Stretford (27/11/2009 at 15:11)

Given our up and (mostly) down performances I'll settle for a draw, but I get the same feeling as others, we'll probably get turned over, we never seem do well at Fratton Park. Our squad is missing, je ne sais quoi, that element of electricity, the panache, perhaps, and as a result based on what we've seen so far a top four finish this season would be a good achievement.

steve wilson (27/11/2009 at 15:19)

Engineer did not Mr Grant play Utd in his first match as Chelsea manager;a repeat of the same would do nicely I believe.

bobbydazzler (27/11/2009 at 15:20)

pick the right team for example DON'T have two right footed players playing on our left, ensure that ALL our players outwork portsmouth not just rooney & fletch. if we do that we will win because our players are better than pompeys.

neal 07, south stand lower (27/11/2009 at 15:40)

Champions! Champions! Champions! And we will be again come May!!!

Lets give Pompey an early Christmas stuffing and kick on, watching the old men of Chelski drop points at the Gooners!!!

0-4 to the Champions!!! Rooney hat trick!!!

the artist, capital of trophies (27/11/2009 at 15:53)

...............................Van der Sar........................

Neville................Brown.................Vidic............Evra

Valencia.............Fletcher...............Scholes..........Giggs

.....................Berbatov................Rooney...............

SUBS: Foster, Rafael, DeLaet, Park, Carrick, Anderson, Owen

P.S. my take on the Besiktas match: I would have played the exact XI as SAF and I would do so again vs Wolfsburg. Why? Because it really doesn't make that much difference finishing top or second......

Possible opponents if finishing top: Real Madrid, Inter, Juventus, Fiorentina, Porto, Stuttgart, Olympiakos.

Possible opponents if finshing second: Barcelona, Seville, Milan, Bordeaux, Lyon.

There are both tough and not-so-tough (on paper) teams in both scenarios,so....
As for the second leg at home, we've made a pig's dinner of that 'advantage' before so....

Alias Smith, over the moon (27/11/2009 at 16:05)

Seamus, have you just arrived on a time machine from 1985?

paul salmon (27/11/2009 at 16:19)

To hell with the caution, we should go there and thump the lights out of this fragile team! It's obvious and simple; they will be up for it and so will their fans. Win the battle, quieten the fans ... then outplay them.

This is the period where we tend to kick on, stringing together a run of wins. Anything less than maximum points from now until the new year will not be good enough. We're good enough to achieve that, especially considering Rooney's due another run of goals.

Paul, Whalley Range

Scholsey passed me the ball..., England (27/11/2009 at 17:32)

I wonder if there will be any changes in the team from Wednesday night? just one or eight perhaps........

World-wide-United, Not-in-wasteland (27/11/2009 at 18:55)

VDS
neville brown vidic evra

valencia fletcher carrick nani

berbatov
roony

giggs anderson obertan in the subs

Drago 34 (27/11/2009 at 18:55)

....................Van Der Sar

Neville..........Vidic..........Brown..........Evra

Valencia.......Fletcher.......Carrick.........Giggs

.................Rooney.......Berbatov

Subs: Foster, Rafael, De Laet, Scholes, Obertan, Park, Owen

Al (27/11/2009 at 19:26)

Danny's team would include kiko, Mame, Tosic, and that 11 year old Australian kid.

Viva Fergie. Manchester is RED, Mancunia (27/11/2009 at 19:42)

Lets play Berba, Rooney and Owen. If we attack them from the off, they'll struggle and we could destroy them. We've been far too slow at times this season.

palomablanca, manchester (27/11/2009 at 19:45)

Team for tomorrow Vds,Brown,Vidic,Evra,Rafael,Carrick,Fletcher,Nani Valencia,Berbatov,Rooney Although Berba & VDS both have knee problems,Expect them to play a part.An attacking game from the off & hopefully 3 points in the bag

DC, New York (27/11/2009 at 20:05)

Potential banana skin alert!!! Check Portsmouth for new manager performance enhancers, wouldn't be the first time they've cost us.

DUB RED, CLONDALKIN (27/11/2009 at 21:07)

Think its about time we gave a team a real hiding positves from the Everton game were we controlled the tempo from the start lets do the same tomorrow and go fo GOALS..

Seamus, Vanisle,ex-Stretford (27/11/2009 at 22:00)

Alias, no,and it's not like Life on Mars, I just think this season we're coming down to earth. Maybe we need a Gene Hunt in the team?

Link, Birmingham (28/11/2009 at 00:13)

VDS, Rafael, Wes ,Vidic Evra Valencia Carrick Fletcher Giggs Berbatov Rooney Subs Foster , Fabio Owen ,Anderson, Scholes, Nani, Neville. Squad to beat Portsmouth 3-1.

Pritesh Mistry (28/11/2009 at 06:57)

Rafael,Brown, Vida,Evra
Valencia, fletcher, carrick, giggs,
Rooney Owen

I just read an interview wherein Rio was talking about the time before Chelsea United Champions league final in 2008. Its amazing & a must read for all United fans..
www.goonersanddevils.com/man_utd.html

Raju, Katmandu (28/11/2009 at 17:30)

The Ding you bought from us didn't score and Dong, who could have been your savior if you'd signed him, is sounding in China.

Who won 4-1 while the world's richest club drew again? Tick tock, tick and tock. Or rather, its ding dong, ding and dong. Parkie's better than Bobinho. He sells more credit cards too. And he's got more medals than your trophy room. Ding Dong!

7 in a row for you guys, draws that is, and 4 in a row for the red side, of what? PL Cups that is.

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