Source: Liverpool_Echo
Portsmouth 0, Everton 1: full time report
Louis Saha condemned Portsmouth to a seventh successive Barclays Premier League defeat in a pulsating showdown at Fratton Park.
Saha struck his seventh goal of the season with a clinical finish which gave resurgent Everton a first-half lead they never relinquished.
It extended the Toffees’ winning run to fourth matches - but the result was harsh on Portsmouth, who failed to take their chances once again.
Superior for lengthy spells, they created a host of opportunities with Aaron Mokoena hitting the crossbar and Tal Ben Haim failing from point-blank range.
Goalkeeper Tim Howard played a full part in frustrating Pompey, making several fine saves, but David Moyes’ side rode their luck at times and cleared two shots off the line.
While Everton are heading up the table, crisis club Portsmouth are rooted to the bottom as the worst start in Premier League history continues unchecked.
Fans started a chant of ’There’s only one Peter Storrie’ in response to reports the Pompey chief executive is on the brink of resigning.
But the cries quickly petered out, as might Storrie’s reign at Fratton Park if he is not given the reassurances he seeks over the club’s financial position.
In a show of unity, Storrie took his place in the stands alongside new owner Sulaiman Al Fahim, who has promised to injected £50million over the next month.
Al Fahim has dismissed suggestions Pompey could be the first Premier League club to enter administration, but today’s outcome will have done little to lift the gloom at Fratton Park.
There was little evidence of the boardroom uncertainty on the pitch where the home side were ambitious and incisive, setting the tone with a lively opening largely orchestrated by Kevin-Prince Boateng.
