Portsmouth vs Sunderland Preview

Published: 08 Feb 2010 - 19:05:50

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The first of two very important days in Pompey's history. In theory, Pompey could well be playing their last ever match tomorrow night but if there is to be a positive result off the pitch on Wednesday, then there needs to be a positive result on the pitch tomorrow.Team NewsHaving rested some key men during Saturday's mauling at the hands of Manchester United, Avram Grant is set to field his strongest possible side in this must-win game.John Utaka could be available after recovering from a hamstring injury but Kevin-Prince Boateng and Anthony Vanden Borre are injury doubts after limping off at Old Trafford (Boateng is supposedly genuinely injured, he didn't storm off despite some reports.)An old Pompey favourite in Benjani should take his place on the Sunderland bench but Steve Bruce will have to make do without Jordan Henderson who has suffered ankle ligament damage and Anton Ferdinand who is also injured.The MatchHope is the most important feeling in the world, something no human being can live without. Life philosophies and even entire religions are based on the concept of hope, it can be argued that man has no reason to live if he has no hope.That may well be the most philisophical paragraph I have ever typed, but whether you agree with it or not, this can be applied to the religion that is football. Forgetting the goings on off the pitch just for a minute, there must always be hope when supporting your team and tomorrow's game represents the last shred of hope which is hanging by a thread. That thread will snap for Pompey fans if we fail to win tomorrow.Anything other than victory against a team who haven't won a league game since November and Pompey's situation becomes hopeless. The season will be over and Portsmouth FC will be certainties for relegation, if the club survives until the end of the season of course.Sunderland are in freefall and are only four points off the relegation zone, so there is no better time to play them than now, especially as we've already beaten them in the cup already. I'm quietly confident we can beat these guys so long as Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones are kept quiet, as well as Benjani of course.Should Pompey not win this game then I'd strongly advise those in charge to place the club into administration. The 9 point penalty won't matter as the club would be relegated anyway and the club would be in a "holding" position, which would stop the club being wound-up tomorrow.The only other alternatives to administration would be to propose a deal with HMRC now that Pompey are looking for new owners or try and earn a stay of execution by convincing the court to postpone the hearing, though that carries the heavy risk of the court allowing the winding-up order to go through just to make an example out of Portsmouth FC.Something may happen tomorrow regarding what Pompey are going to do to fight this winding-up order (and I don't believe for a second that Saudi ambassador Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf will invest in the club as reported) so it's going to be a very important day in the club's history even if it is just because of matters on the pitch.We need to stay alive on the pitch by beating Sunderland, but more importantly the powers that be must ensure that tomorrow's match isn't the last in the history of Portsmouth Football Club.Predicted Starting Line-UpsPompeyGK: David JAMESRB: Steve FINNANCB: Marc WILSONCB: Ricardo ROCHALB: Tal BEN-HAIMDM: Angelos BASINASCM: Jamie O'HARACM: Hassan YEBDAAM: Kevin-Prince BOATENGCF: John UTAKACF: Aruna DINDANESunderlandGK: Marton FULOPRB: Alan HUTTONCB: Michael TURNERCB: Matt KILGALLONLB: George McCARTNEYRM: Bolo ZENDENCM: Lee CATTERMOLECM: Lorik CANALM: Steed MALBRANQUECF: Darren BENTCF: Kenwyne JONESLast Time: Portsmouth 3 Sunderland 1Pompey's final home game of the season ended in victory but not before Kenwyne Jones tapped Callum Davenport's cross past Asmir Begovic, making his debut for Pompey, to give the Mackems a shock lead.The advantage didn't last long as John Utaka scored almost immediately after the opener and then forced Phil Bardsley to put the ball into his own net after rounding Fulop. Armand Traore sealed the win with his first and only goal for the club but the biggest cheer of the night came when Linvoy Primus took to the field for what would be the final time in his career, playing out stoppage time in front of a jubilant Fratton Park.Pundit WatchMy Prediction: We simply have to win this game and I think we will, albeit with much difficulty. After that, we'll just have to sit tight with our fingers crossed and hope we still have a club to support ahead of Saturday's date with the Scummers.Portsmouth 2 Sunderland 1