Fan Preview: Portsmouth vs Manchester United

What looked a few weeks ago as a relatively straight forward weekend for the Reds has been given an extra dimension due to recent circumstances.

After falling five points behind Chelsea and with Arsenal hot on our tails every game is now doubly important that we allow no slip ups. And with Arsenal hosting the league leaders only 24 hours later it is vital that we travel back up north with maximum points.

Although anything can happen down at The Emirates it is absolutely imperative that we carry on where we left off against Everton and make sure we are only two points behind Ancelotti’s men before they start.

Despite being bottom Pompey will not be as easy as the table suggests. They have played very well without always just reward this season and will be keen to add to their decent record vs us at Fratton Park in the Premier League.

They will also have be bolstered this week by the news that ex-Chelsea boss Avram Grant will be taking over in favour of the dismissed Paul Hart. Grant primary job is to get Portsmouth winning games again but he is still likely to be haunted by the last time his team in blue faced United back in Moscow in 2008.

Despite all these sub plots United know what they must do and will hopefully have Dimitar Berbatov back after missing the last month with a knee injury.

Irish duo John O’Shea and Jonny Evans look set to miss out again along with Rio Ferdinand but that should once again to rectified by the emerging partnership of Wes Brown and Nemanja Vidic who the boss  has described as ‘fantastic.’

Portsmouth will fill their stadium on Saturday and the atmosphere should be buzzing. Their players will be buoyed by a new manger and players will be eager to impress. United must stay focused, concentrate on their own job so that at 5 o clock tomorrow we are back within touching distance of Chelsea. I am going to go with a 2-1 victory for United with maybe an anxious last few minutes.
By Kyle Reardon