Preview: Manchester United v Portsmouth

February 25, 2005

MANCHESTER United divert their gaze away from the Champions League and back to Chelsea with Wayne Rooney warning the Barclays Premiership leaders "You haven't won it yet".

With Jose Mourinho's men attempting to atone for their own European disappointment in Barcelona by beating Liverpool in Sunday's Carling Cup final, United can reduce the gap at the top to six points with a televised win over Portsmouth.

Although it would still be a significant lead with just 10 matches of the campaign remaining, it might just place a bit more pressure on the Stamford Bridge outfit, who are finally starting to wobble just as Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger claimed they would.

And though United have to shake off the misery of Wednesday's 1-0 home defeat to AC Milan, Rooney insists no-one in the Red Devils' camp has abandoned hope of title glory.

"It is definitely not over," he said. "We are still nine points behind but Chelsea have got a few tough games coming up.

"They have still to play us at Old Trafford and then Arsenal, so you never know.

"If they lose a game before they come to Old Trafford they could really start to feel the pressure.

"Hopefully we can keep the wins going and we could still be there to take the title at the end of the season."

Ruud van Nistelrooy will start the Pompey game after he came through Wednesday's brief appearance unscathed.

Van Nistelrooy came on for 30 minutes against AC Milan after three months out with an Achilles injury and the Dutchman will now step up his drive for match fitness by taking his place in what is likely to be a much-changed starting line-up.

Prior to the FA Cup win over Everton, Ferguson said some of his senior stars would need a rest this weekend, so Roy Keane is almost certain to stand down, while Wayne Rooney might also be granted a break.

Roy Carroll is expected to continue in goal despite his costly blunder against Milan, while Mikael Silvestre and Phil Neville are hoping for a recall.

Meanwhile, Portsmouth goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown and midfielder Patrik Berger must pass fitness tests ahead of the match.

Both were forced to miss training this week with flu but are expected to be named in the starting line-up if they recover in time.

Captain Arjan De Zeeuw is fit after a shin injury while striker Lomana LuaLua is hoping for a recall, but Hayden Foxe, Svetoslav Todorov and Vincent Pericard are still out with long-term injuries.

Manchester United (from): Carroll, Howard, G Neville, P Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre, Heinze, O'Shea, Spector, Fortune, Ronaldo, Keane, Scholes, Giggs, Miller, van Nistelrooy, Smith, Saha, Rooney, Bellion, Rossi.

Portsmouth (from): Ashdown, Cisse, De Zeeuw, Stefanovic, Taylor, Stone, O'Neil, Hughes, Berger, Kamara, Yakubu, Primus, Griffin, LuaLua, Skopelitis, Mezague, Rodic, Chalkias.

United v Portsmouth - the stats

Latest Premiership form

United: W W W W W

Portsmouth: L L W L L

Head-to-head

Oct 30 2004 Portsmouth 2 United 0

Apr 17 2004 Portsmouth 1 United 0

Nov 1 2003 United 3 Portsmouth 0

Jan 4 2002 United 4 Portsmouth 1

Top Premiership scorers

United: Scholes 8, Rooney 7, Giggs, Smith 5, Van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo 4

Portsmouth: Yakubu 10, Berger 3, Kamara, De Zeeuw, LuaLua 2

Danger man: Ayegbeni Yakubu - Pompey's only serious goal threat

Referee: M Halsey - Six bookings in a quiet match against Villa on his last Old Trafford visit!

Prediction: United 2 Portsmouth 0

Will United bounce back against Pompey? Have your say.

| Submit Comments | Comments (14) |

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Alias Smith, over the moon (25/02/2005 at 12:09)

SAF will make changes but I hope he doesn't underestimate Portsmouth as he sometimes has a tendency to with the weaker teams. Must win game.

red cabbagehead, salford (25/02/2005 at 14:22)

No stupid changes please! Sure we will see "super" Nev though! Atleast Ruud's starting!

In our Pomp., Portsmouth (25/02/2005 at 14:44)

Portsmouth to do the double over Yooonited. End of deluded ragamuffins clutching at straws and leaving Chelsea as the Premiership champions. Yakubu to score twice! Good night Vienna! xxxx.

Frank, Old Trafford (25/02/2005 at 15:20)

bit of a CL hangover, I see Al and Red CH have dedicated a lot of time to pompey. Funnily enough the last time we played them was after the CL and they gave us a 2 nil thrashing. i suppose the zimmer frame brigade will be given a holiday to decide how to spend this weeks 100 grand so we'll get another chance to see the jewels of our second string who have weeks on end to decide how to spend their weekly 50 grand. The rest of us know that a grand don't come easy. We'll have a good front line but will there be anybody good enough to give them a decent ball. Anything less than a thrashing will be considered to be a failure.

mikey, kampala (25/02/2005 at 15:42)

S.A.F knows why he took off ronaldo.Why shd a club so rich use mediocres?its unbelievable paul scholes has no sub.Bring Ibagaza and giggs is not invincible if he isnt performing let him sit.

Mike, Portsmouth (25/02/2005 at 16:03)

I think we can do the double over you lot and lately we seem to get the better of you after you have played an important game.

Against Arsenal then lost to us

In CL last year then lost against us

I hope its three in a row but if not then I want you guys to go on and win the league

de Meester, Amsterdamned (25/02/2005 at 16:05)

As long as we get threee points; I don't care if we win 1-0 or 4-3.
I think that there will be a few tactical changes, if only to give some players a rest.
Though no whole-scale ones please SAF.
The main thing is we suffer no 'hang-over' and play as United should do, (and should have done on weds!).
As chel$ki are not playing we can if only move 3 points closer, and let them worry with their suspensions and injuries.
What a shame!
Up The Reds

de Meester, Amsterdamned (25/02/2005 at 16:11)

Heh Frank, can't disagree with you too much!
As for the play-maker, we are still searching, as Scholes is off his game then we struggle.
I think it'll be 4-3-3 and Ruud to get on the score-sheet, but i fear a hang-over.
I am still going over the game in my mind - painful - and how Milano controlle play in midfield was frightening!
I hear that Essien is being pursued- what's new?!. Personally think he'll go to Spain!.
I see Koeman has resigned so that means van der Vaart could be allowed to leave....I wonder?
Up the Reds

In my Pomp., Portsmouth (25/02/2005 at 17:15)

As you said Frank, we thrashed you 2-0 last time but I think you were being a bit hard on United when you said that 'Anything less than a thrashing will be considered to be a failure...' I don't think we would consider it a failure at all. I think we would be content to beat you 1-0. I know United are getting worse but you really should not deride the club that you purport to support so much!!!!

ted knott, droylsden (25/02/2005 at 17:35)

Considering Portsmouth have lost 5 matches out of their last six there is only one winner and thats United score 3-0. but its also a game should United get anything less ie a draw then forget the title,somehow though Pompey have a very poor away record and they haven't a prayer really.

de Meester, Amsterdamned (25/02/2005 at 18:52)

Oh let's get the 3 points and let those pretenders worry while they're on their way back from Cardiff.
I see old Moanrinho is at it again accusing barca of talking to the ref!.
Pathetic, he's losing it a some now.
Just another bad loser!
Not let up now United!
Up The Reds

Alias Smith, sick as a parrot (25/02/2005 at 22:04)

Frank, any result that gets us the three points will be considered a success. Come on lads, don't let us down.

Andy, Staffs (26/02/2005 at 10:10)

Wouldn't be surprised at some dropped points here. No doubt Keane will be rested and I'm probably the only one who thinks this but the return of RVN fills me with dread. Firstly we don't play well as a team when he's playing (our recent good run has all been without him) and secondly it means that ditherer Fergie will have more reason to start rotating players. Our good run has been helped by being forced to play pretty much the same players week in and week out. That will all change now and I wouldn't be surprised to see our season slowly go down the pan.

Frank, Old Trafford (26/02/2005 at 12:42)

Hey Al you sound a bit worried there, it's too late in the day to be scraping a win against second division material. We've got 10 days to get a team that can beat Milan together, Pompey should be a training match. These bitters have got a personality problem, one minute they're from Milan the next they're from the south coast, poor so and sos.

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