Portsmouth v Everton preview

25 September 2009 11:29
Pointless Portsmouth aim to get off the mark in the Premier League at the seventh time of asking when Everton travel to Fratton Park, live on Sky Sports 1 and HD1. Pompey boss Paul Hart launched a defiant defence of his position on Thursday and remains confident his hastily-assembled squad will turn moments of promise into positive results. But the South Coast side are the only team in Premier League history to lose their opening six games and will face a stern test against an Everton side who are finding their form after an indifferent start. David Moyes' men have romped to successive victories over AEK Athens, Blackburn Rovers and Hull City, scoring 11 goals in the process without seeing their own defence breached. The Toffees will also be out to gain a measure of revenge having been beaten home and away by Portsmouth last season, with a 3-0 reverse at Goodison Park particularly galling. Hart may be tempted to hand Aruna Dindane a starting place after his goal in the midweek Carling Cup victory at Carlisle, although the striker is still working on his match fitness. Defender Steve Finnan came through a behind-closed-doors friendly this week as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury and could be involved against the Toffees. But Hart is still waiting for midfielder Papa Bouba Diop and defender Herman Hreidarsson to recover from their respective hamstring and foot problems. Moyes selected a strong side for the midweek Carling Cup triumph against Hull, but is likely to revert to the XI on duty against Rovers. Striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni returned to action with a goal in midweek before being withdrawn at half-time with a groin problem and is likely to be on the bench against his former club if he can prove his fitness. Midfielder Steven Pienaar (foot) and defender Joseph Yobo (hamstring) will also have late fitness tests, while Sylvain Distin makes a swift return to Fratton Park following his summer exit and is set to continue at centre-back. Possible starting XIsPortsmouth: James, Vanden Borre, Kaboul, Ben-Haim, Belhadj, Mokoena, Smith, Brown, Boateng, O'Hara, Webber. Everton: Howard, Heitinga, Yobo, Distin, Baines, Osman, Rodwell, Cahill, Pienaar, Fellaini, Saha.

Source: SKY_Sports