Sunderland take all three valuable points against a dissapointing Portsmouth side who never really threatened late on after Richardson did all the damage in the first half.

Sylvain Distin comes off and blows a kiss to the Sunderland faithful for some bizarre reason as he is replaced by Djimi Traore

Redknapp looks resigned to defeat on the Pompey bench as Sunderland just try and see out the last two minutes.

The fourth official indicates their will be four minutes of added on time much to the annoyance of the Sunderland faithful.

Another yellow card for Sunderland as Yorke catches Hughes as he just turns the former Manchester United striker.

Mendes floats in a freekick which McShane fails to deal with as he heads it straight up in the air before Gordon is forced to punch it away.

Kenwyne Jones comes off after having spent the last ten minutes limping up and down the field but has done an excellent job this afternoon. Roy O'Donovan is his replacement.

Richardson tries to tackle Campbell from behind with a slide tackle but doesn't manage to pull it off and instead crashes into the back of the defender, earning him a yellow card.

Miller fires in a low freekick which Pamarot seemingly turns behind with his out-stretched leg but ChrisFoy gives the goal kick, odd decision by the referee.

Jonny Evans is forced off through injury and he is replaced by Paul McShane.

Anthony Stokes comes off to be replaced by Grant Leadbitter

Danny Collins gets himself a booking after crashing it Songo'o who had just knocked the ball past the Welsh defender.

Mendes floats in another corner from the left, sending it towards the near post where Jones can't quite clear it away but does well to block up Campbell's follow-up effort, who tried to sweep it in but can't get it past Jones.

Jones does well again to hold up the ball and lay it on for the on rushing Stokes who takes a touch before firingit low towards goal, forcing James into an easy save.

Mendes swings in a corner for Pompey which is meet bythe head of Yorke who powers it away from the Sunderland goal.

Portsmouth make the first change of the game with Arnold Mvuemba coming off and Franck Songo'o making an appearance.

Miller swings in a corner towards the near post which Jones manages to flick on but can only send it over the bar and onto the roof of the net.

Miguel Pedro Mendes is the first name in the book after a late tackle on Murphy.

Murphy finally finds a man with a cross, picking out Jones who gets above Distin and nodding it just wide of the goal.

End-to-end stuff now with Richardson cannoning the ball off the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area which would have all but made certain of the points for Sunderland.

Benjani springs the offside trap and sprints away towards goal but instead of taking the shot Gordon forces him to sqaure the ball for Nugent but its very well cut out by Nosworthy who saved his side from a certain goal.

Portsmouth create a couple of half chances with Nugent failing to capitalising on the cross before Hughes badly scuffs his shot and Mendes follow-up is blocked by a wall of red and white shirts.

Campbell tries to play a deep cross towards Benjani at the far post but the striker gets underneath the ball and can only head it up and over the bar.

Hreidarsson floats in a cross towards Benjani in the penalty area but its over the head of Pompey's top goalscorer and Mvuemba can't keep it in play.

Murphy crosses in from the right again but its another poor one, this time the ball floats over everyone and goes out of play for a freekick.

Jones does well to keep the ball from the attentions of Disin before laying the ball to Richardson whose strikes the ball on the run but can only drive it over the bar with James looking beaten.

Murphy gets himself wide and tries to float in a cross towards te near post but its easily dealt with by Pamarot who heads it away.

Portsmouth get the second half underway knowing that its going to take a huge effort to get anything out of this game.

Sunderland go in at the break with the lea thanks to two great bits of work from Kieran Richardson, taking advantage of a tired looking Pompey side who are badly missing the players who have gone to the African Cup of Nations.

Richardson doubles Sunderland's lead after a great through ball from Stokes cut out Hreidarsson leaving Richardson to streak away towards goal, cut in from the left and sliding it past James with his weaker right foot.

Krancar takes the corner from the left which Whitehead nods away only as far as Mendes who strikes it first time on the volley but can only smash it high into the crowd behind the goal.

Miller clips in a corner towards the near post, looking for a red and white shirt but James is quick to come off his line and catch

Richardson takes a quick corner with the ball coming to Miller, the midfielder driving the ball towards goal from a tight angle and just sending it inches over the bar.

Kranjcar drives in a freekick towards the near post looking for Benjani but Gordon does well to come off his line and claim the ball.

Richardson opens the scoring after Jones kept in the ball after the Pompey defence thought the ball had gone out, Jones laying it to to Richardson toward who fired a low, powerful drive past James from iniside the box.

Distin makes another mistake which allows Murphy to streak away towards goal, Distin getting back and forcing Murphy to toe poke the shot which beats James but just rolls wide of the left hand post.

Kranjcar tries to pick out Nugent with the cross but the England striker is beaten to the cross by Nosworthy who just nods it to Yorke as Sunderland survive another Pompey attack.

Stokes tries to fizz in a free kick towards the penalty area but its a poor attempt with Benjani heading it away on the edge of the penalty area.

Miller chips in a corner from the right and finds Evans who gets away from his marker but can't direct the ball anyway but over the bar.

Kenwyne Jones goes down inside the penalty area after a tangle with Pamarot but referee Chris Foy shows no interest as Portsmouth get the goal kick.

Murphy fires in a cross on the half volley which finds the run of Stokes at the near post but he gets too much on the header, crashing it wide of the target.

Kranjcar takes the resulting corner which is headed away by Nosworthy back out to the waiting Mendes, but his cross is dealt with by another Sunderland header.

Mvuemba capitalises on some bad Sunderland passing to cut the ball back to Kranjcar whose shot forces Grodon into a great save,pushing it around the post for a Pompey corner.

Stokes tries to fire in a cross from the left which is just to high for everyone and goes out of play on the far side of the field.

Kranjcar floats in a freekick which Hreidarsson flicks on for Benjani waiting at the far post who from four yards out volleys the ball wide of goal when it would have been easier to score, great chance.

Distin fails to clear the ball and Whitehead picks up on the mistake but can't put the power on the shot it requires, the ball deflecting wide which James has to scramble to recover.

Stokes picks up the ball just outside the box and strikes it towards goal but its easily saved by James who catches it with ease.

Sunderland controlling much of the opening five minutes with some nice attacking moves but failing to cut through the Portsmouth defence.

Richardson swings in an early corner for Sunderland towards the near post but its easily dealt with by Benjani who heads it back to the former Man Utd winger who miss-kicks the ball and Portsmouth can clear their lines.

Sunderland will be hoping to bounce back from their FA Cup humiliation against Wigan last week while Pompey fans will just be happy that this isn't Harry Redknapp's last game in charge, Todays referee Chris Foy gets the game underway.

Portsmouth XI: James, Pamarot, Distin, Campbell, Hreidarsson, Nugent, Mvuemba, Pedro Mendes, Hughes, Kranjcar, Mwaruwari

Portsmouth are without Sulley Muntari, Kanu, John Utaka and Papa Bouba Diop who are all away at the African Cup of Nations while Glen Johnson failed a late fitness test on his hamstring and Sean Davis misses out with a foot injury.

Sunderland XI: Gordon, Whitehead, Nosworthy, Evans, Collins, Stokes, Miller, Yorke, Richardson, Jones, Murphy

Sunderland welcome back Dwight Yorke from suspension along with Kenwyne Jones who had to pass a late fitness test to be included in the team. But the Black Cats are without Dickson Etuhu who is at the African Cup of Nations.