Portsmouth Preview

By Mark Heys
January 31 2006

Bolton Wanderers hope to keep their undefeated start to 2006 in tact as they take on struggling Portsmouth at Fratton Park tommorow evening.

Since the turn of the year the Trotters have won three and drawn two in all competitions, so a win on the South Coast would do their chances of qualifying for a second European campaign no harm at all.

All this achieved largely with a patched up team with no fewer than eight players missing in recent weeks due to international commitments or long term injury concerns.

Ivan Campo joins Gary Speed, Henrik Pedersen and Bedi Buval on the treatment table after being ruled out yesterday for three months following a broken foot sustained in the FA Cup game with Arsenal at the weekend.

The African Nations Cup quartet of El-Hadji Diouf, Jay-Jay Okocha, Abdoulaye Faye and Radhi Jaidi are still on international duty but it is expected that we shall be seeing one or two of them back after this weekend now the elimination rounds are in force.

Spanish midfielder Oscar Perez has been signed as cover following his release from Cordoba so it remains to be seen what role, if any, the 24-year old will play against Pompey.

Pompey could be about to hand debuts to midfielder Wayne Routledge and defender Ognijen Koroman following their post deadline loan moves from Tottenham Hotspur and Terek Groznyi respectively.

Ex-Bury goalkeeper Dean Kiely may also be involved with Harry Redknapp's squad for the top versus bottom clash after recently completing a move from Charlton Athletic.

Strikers Lomano Lua-Lua and Benjani Mwaruwari are away on international duty due to the African Nations Cup so Frenchman Vicent Pericard is once again expected to lead the attack.

PREMIERSHIP RECORD

26/08/2003 PORTSMOUTH 4 (Stone, Sheringham 3) BOLTON WANDERERS 0

17/01/2004 BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (Davies) PORTSMOUTH 0

27/11/2004 BOLTON WANDERERS 0 PORTSMOUTH 1 (De Zeeuw)

07/05/2005 PORTSMOUTH 1 (Yakubu) BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (Diouf)

24/09/2005 BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (Nolan) PORTSMOUTH 0

PREMIERSHIP FORM GUIDE:

Played: 5

Won: 2

Drawn: 1

Lost: 2

CONNECTIONS

Brian Bromley, John Gregory, Trevor Hebbard, Russell Hoult, Paul Ritchie

IT HAPPENED WHEN BOLTON PLAYED POMPEY

Ex-Manchester United and England striker Teddy Sheringham scored a hat-trick against Bolton in the first Premiership meetings between these two sides back in August 2003.

Bolton's El-Hadji Diouf was banned for three matches after last season's fixture due to spitting at opponent Arjan De Zeeuw who is now back at Wigan Athletic.

Wanderers skipper Kevin Nolan scored a sublime overhead kick to win the game in the last meeting between these two teams back in September