Source: SKY_Sports
Portsmouth v Chelsea preview
Chelsea travel to Portsmouth on Tuesday evening looking to secure a fourth successive win under Guus Hiddink and in the process keep the pressure on Manchester United at the Premier League summit.
Dutchman Hiddink has this week spoken of a desire to derail United's bid for an unprecedented quintuple of trophies and while his rallying call never reached the pique, or trough, of Kevin Keegan's infamous 'luv it' outburst, it was fighting talk nonetheless.
Chelsea's last-gasp victory over Wigan in their last outing owed much to twin talismans John Terry and Frank Lampard and on the South Coast it could again be a case of battling spirit taking precedent over guile.
Portsmouth are scrapping for their top flight lives and, under a caretaker management team that comprises of Paul Hart and Brian Kidd, they are making a decent fist of it.
Fresh from a ten-day break following their 2-2 draw at Stoke City last month, Hart's troops should be rejuvenate and ready to put in a shift against a Chelsea side who trail United by seven points going into the game.
Hart will go with the side that started at the Britannia Stadium, with Richard Hughes' return to training unlikely to be enough to see him figure at Fratton Park.
Peter Crouch and David Nugent will be charged with providing an attacking threat, while at the back Hermann Hreidarsson will hope to continue excellent form that has seen him pop up with some vital contributions of late.
For Chelsea, Ricardo Carvalho remains an absentee with a hamstring injury and it seems likely Alex will continue to deputise.
Against Wigan there was a rare start for Michael Mancienne but Jose Bosingwa's return from suspension will mean a return to the bench for the promising starlet.
Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka will be given further opportunity to demonstrate they can play together, with Salomon Kalou making up a forward thinking trio for the Blues.
Portuguese playmaker Deco remains a doubt with a hamstring complaint, while Michael Essien is making decent progress from a long-term injury but is still some way from a first-team return.
Possible starting XIs:
Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Hreidarsson, Distin, Campbell, Davis, Kranjcar, Basinas, Pennant, Nugent, Crouch
Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Cole, Terry, Alex, Mikel, Lampard, Ballack, Kalou, Anelka, Drogba.
