Team news

Mark Hughes reports no fresh injury concerns as Manchester City look to maintain their 100% start to the Premier League season at Portsmouth.

Hughes named an impressively strong line-up for Thursday night's Carling Cup win at Crystal Palace and could keep the same side.

Craig Bellamy and Nigel de Jong would both hope for a chance to shine, although they may have to be content with a place on the bench.

Hughes has found it impossible to plan for the 'Abu Dhabi derby' because he does not have a clue what squad Portsmouth are likely to be choosing from.

Twelve months into the City revolution, the Blues tackle a club that is in roughly the same state as they were this time last year.

There may be subtle differences between City and Portsmouth - size of stadium and support being counterbalanced by the memory of an FA Cup in the south coast outfit's trophy cabinet two years ago, compared to the Blues' which has been completely bare for over three decades - but interest in their respective takeovers is huge.

Sulaiman al-Fahim was the initial front-man for the Abu Dhabi United Group's takeover of City last year, only to be dumped for making statements too grandiose for the conservative tastes of Sheikh Mansour.

Instead, he turned his attentions elsewhere and, after a summer of turmoil at Fratton Park, is now aiming to bring some semblance of stability to a Portsmouth outfit yet to collect a point this term.

"I am not privy to all the details of the Portsmouth deal or how much money is going to be invested in the club," observed Hughes.

"It is a positive sign for Portsmouth. The previous owners were able to fund them to a certain extent and it brought them success in the FA Cup.

"But it needs to be sustained over a longer period. That is the thing we have.

"Our owners have a long vision for the club and this is just the beginning. We know our owners are not in it for the short term."

Pompey goalkeeper David James looks set to overcome a knee injury to face former club.

James trained on Friday and manager Paul Hart is confident he will be fit, while new recruits Tommy Smith and Michael Brown could make their debuts. However, Hart's squad has been weakened by the sale of Sylvain Distin to Everton.

The game comes too soon for Hermann Hreidarsson, who is still suffering with hamstring trouble, and Steve Finnan and Papa Bouba Diop both face another two weeks out with a similar injury.

Portsmouth 0-1 Man City

Last modified 22:31 30/08/09

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Emmanuel Adebayor continued his transformation from incredible sulk to City’s Incredible Hulk as England’s richest club put Premier League paupers Portsmouth in their place.

Mark Hughes spent more to bring Adebayor to Eastlands than penniless Pompey have invested in their entire squad.

After scoring for the third league game in a row to maintain City’s 100 per cent start to the season, the man who some Arsenal fans would have driven to Manchester themselves to get rid of is looking a £25million snip.

The old cliche - you get what you pay for - will never be better illustrated than by comparing Adebayor’s simple headed winner to Pompey’s £6million flop David Nugent’s shocking late miss.

Adebayor stole the points for the visitors after being left unmarked to nod home Gareth Barry’s 30th minute corner.

But England striker Nugent was presented with just as good an opportunity to earn crisis club Pompey their first point of the season two minutes from time and seconds after coming off the subs’ bench.

Michael Brown’s lofted ball put the City defence on the back-foot, presenting Nugent with a clear strike at goal six yards out but he hit his shot meekly into the ground and the ball struck Shay Given in the chest and bounced away to safety.

In truth it would have been hard on Hughes’s men had they been denied a fourth straight league and cup win after another dominant display, which further underlined their emergence as genuine top four contenders.

Portsmouth’s scattergun approach to the transfer market heralded five new signings in the space of 48 hours last week.

Only Watford striker Tommy Smith and Wigan midfielder Michael Brown were eligible to make debuts so Jamie O’Hara, Kevin Prince-Boateng and Aruna Dindane watched from the stands.

But it was City, who handed a first Premier League appearance to £24m Joleon Lescott, who created the bulk of the chances.

Pompey were without England number one David James because of a knee injury and stand-in goalkeeper Asmir Begovic threatened to gift the visitors the lead on the quarter hour.

Begovic spilt Barry’s teasing free kick but with the Bosnian left on his backside, Micah Richards somehow failed to force the ball over the line from four yards before Richard Hughes got back to clear.

City benefitted from more slapstick defending to take the lead 15 minutes later as Adebayor was left completely free six yards out to nod what proved to be the winner.

The game should have been all but over five minutes before half time when Richards slid in to convert Craig Bellamy’s cross but referee Howard Webb ruled the goal out because Barry was offside, even though he was not interfering in play.

Adebayor glided his way past Anthony Vanden Borre and Younes Kaboul seven minutes after the re-start before seeing his low angled shot beaten away by Begovic at his near post.

Stephen Ireland then wasted a glorious chance to double City’s lead, blazing over from another Barry corner, which the Pompey defence failed to deal with.

It took until 12 minutes from time for Portsmouth to seriously threaten Given’s goal when substitute John Utaka cut in from the right and fizzed a left foot curler inches wide.

Nugent’s howler crowned Portsmouth’s worst start to a season since 1953 and leaves Paul Hart’s side still searching for a first Premier League point.

The home fans reacted in fury and even new owner Sulaiman Al Fahim could not bring himself to shake Nugent’s hand as he made his way pitch-side to congratulate his players for their efforts.

Al Fahim had earlier produced his best impersonation of Newcastle chairman Mike Ashley by donning a personalised replica Pompey shirt and baseball caps to pose for pictures with fans before taking his seat in the directors’ box.

One witty supporter even joked the number 77 on Al Fahim’s back was a tribute to the roly-poly Arabian’s waistline but there was little for the Dubai millionaire to smile about as he faced up the daunting task of keeping his new club in the top flight.

The only solace for Al Fahim is that Pompey don’t have to face Adebayor every week.