Team news

Portsmouth preview
Asmir Begovic is likely to replace injured England goalkeeper David James for Avram Grant's first game in charge of bottom club Portsmouth - at home to champions Manchester United at Fratton Park.

Grant, still officially Pompey's director of football until paperwork arrives enabling him to be installed as successor to sacked manager Paul Hart, could stick with Jamie Ashdown but highly-rated Bosnian international Begovic was recalled from a loan spell at Ipswich earlier this week.

Veteran defender Hermann Hreidarsson is likely to keep his place after coming back from injury in the 1-0 defeat at Stoke but Grant may recall French loanee Frederic Piquionne in place of Kanu, who made his first Barclays Premier League start of the season last week.

Portsmouth goalkeeper David James has backed Grant to reverse the ailing fortunes of the Fratton Park club.

Grant takes up the reins with the club four points from safety at the foot of the Barclays Premier League, but veteran England keeper James believes the 54-year-old has what it takes to haul the club clear of danger.

"Avram's knowledge is immense," James told The Sun. "He's like Yoda. His pearls of wisdom seem to be far-reaching and he speaks a lot of sense.

"He is just what we need and I'm sure he can get us out of trouble.

"He's very different and profound which appeals to me.

"I have total respect for him and he will get the instant respect of all the players. He's a wonderful bloke and has got what it takes for a relegation fight."

James admits he will be a frustrated spectator for Grant's first game at the helm against the champions after sustaining a calf injury in the pre-match warm-up ahead of last weekend's loss at Stoke.

"I'm gutted that I'll not be able to play but I'm hopeful of being back quite quickly," said James, who expects to be on the sidelines for three weeks.

"Having United to start is some test but we have done okay against them at our place in recent years."

Manchester United preview
Jonny Evans and John O'Shea remain doubtful for Manchester United.

Evans picked up a calf injury on international duty with Northern Ireland a fortnight ago while O'Shea suffered an thigh injury during the Republic of Ireland's controversial World Cup play-off defeat to France.

Patrice Evra is set to return, along with Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, Edwin van der Sar and Darren Fletcher as United look to cut the gap on leaders Chelsea to two points ahead of the Londoners' meeting with Arsenal.

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Premier League basement dwellers Portsmouth are in a false position.

Ferguson's Manchester United side visit Fratton Park looking to collect another three points and exert some pressure on Chelsea ahead of their eagerly-anticipated London derby with Arsenal on Sunday.

Even with Avram Grant installed as manager, few expect anything other than an away win, with Portsmouth believed by many to be certainties for the drop given their much-publicised financial strife and the loss of so many influential players since their 2008 FA Cup win under Harry Redknapp.

But Ferguson is not so sure.

After analysing Pompey's recent performances, he feels Grant can look forward to better times.

"Portsmouth have some very good players," said Ferguson.

"I have looked at their videos and they may be in a false position.

"But being bottom of the league does create a reaction from owners and management of a club." Ferguson will recall all his big guns following Wednesday night's Champions League defeat to Besiktas.

However, he will be forced to watch from the stands as he starts a two-match touchline ban imposed following his verbal attack on referee Alan Wiley.

It is an inconvenience United's players could have done without, although Fletcher is not convinced it will have any major effect.

"Obviously the manager is a massive presence on the sidelines but we have plenty of experience in (coaches) Mick Phelan and Rene Meulensteen and I am sure he will be in constant contact with them," said the Scotland midfielder.

"In an ideal world we would have him there but unfortunately that is not the case.

Portsmouth vs Man Utd

Last modified 22:06 29/11/09

Pause Play

Left

Right

View thumbnails View full screen Turn captions on/off

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Prev

Next

• Page 1
• Page 2
• Page 3

Up in the sin bin, the grumpy old man enjoyed his elevated view of the Premier League’s longest-running show, The Ryan King.

And as Wayne Rooney’s hat-trick was upstaged by a sublime matinee performance from Ryan Giggs, Sir Alex Ferguson’s exile in the dress circle balcony from his usual seat in the orchestra pit was transformed from penance to privileged view of a genius at work.

In their box, Fergie and Manchester United chief executive David Gill looked like those two crusty hecklers Statler and Waldorf from the Muppet Show as Giggs provided another flawless cabaret.

And sure enough, Fergie - serving a touchline ban for defamatory remarks about a referee’s fitness - found another victim to hector.

This time linesman Richard West, who flagged for a penalty as Nemanja Vidic helped himself to a handful of Frederic Piquionne’s shirt, was the target from Ferguson’s lectern for putting referee Mike Dean under “incredible pressure“ to award the home side a penalty and “changing the whole course of normal decision-making.” 

But who needs grumbling from the Groucho Club when you can still enjoy Giggs topping the bill at the Palladium?

In an age when it has become compulsory to fawn over United’s headline acts, whether they are spouting tosh about trawlers and sardines or pouting jugglers who fall over too readily, Giggs has transcended animosity.

Even if you hate Manchester United, it is impossible to hate Ryan Giggs. He was 36 yesterday and, wearing unfeasibly white boots the shade of a Hollywood actor’s teeth, he decorated the occasion with his 100th Premier League goal.

Two games in a week may be beyond the old boy these days, but with 819 appearances on the clock, the odds on him reaching 1,000 are shrinking like woolly jumpers in a hot tumble dryer.

Only Fred Astaire’s career was sustained longer by twinkling feet, and although England striker Rooney carried off the match ball at Fratton Park, he was happy to concede top billing to the Ryan King in the pride lands.

Rooney said: “He surprises me every week, he is amazing. His performance was the key to two of my goals and I don’t know how he does it. He is unbelievable.

“Even at 36 he is as good as ever. He is one of the sharpest every day in training, and even in tricky conditions on quite a difficult pitch, he puts in a performance like that. He is quite incredible.

“To be honest, we weren’t really that great in the first half - Portsmouth came at us hard and our keeper had to make some great saves, but in the second half we played some good stuff and overall I think we deserved the win.”

Fergie, who presented Giggs with a professional contract on his 17th birthday back in 1990 and has never regretted it, is already convinced his prodigy will complete two decades as a one-club legend - loyalty which sets him apart from modern football’s mercenary ethos.

“Happy birthday - he’s had it 36 times, wait until he gets to 67,” said the United manager. “I think even he’ll be retired by then, but he’s an exceptional player, a rarity. He will play for another two years yet.”

Giggs, of course, took it all in his stride, preferring to acknowledge lone striker Rooney’s contribution to a rousing match where the most overworked patron was the penalty spot.

Rooney’s third hat-trick for United took his tally for the season to 11 goals and Giggs said: “Wayne was brilliant. He was up there on his own, but he tied down the two centre halves.

“The rain helped us - it made the pitch a lot quicker and we were much slicker with our passing. In the first half, Portsmouth made it very difficult for us. Whenever we come here, it is like their cup final.”

Pompey, negligent at one end of the pitch and wasteful at the other, we can deal with summarily.

The tide went out on those heady days of FA Cup glory under Harry Redknapp long ago, and all that remains is the plughole and a few bars of the Hornpipe.

After Rooney’s opener from the spot, even the excellent Kevin-Prince Boateng’s first-half equaliser, a reciprocal gift from linesman West, was softer than quilted toilet paper.

Rooney took just eight minutes after the break to claim custody of the match ball, burying a sublime pass from Giggs and completing his hat-trick from yet another penalty when Frederic Piquionne hauled down the birthday boy.

The final flourish, a signature free kick from the Ryan King, was worthy of the West End or Broadway itself. Never mind samba football, United have got Simba.

PORTSMOUTH: Begovic 6, Ben Haim 4, Kaboul 5, Wilson 4, Hreidarsson 5, Yebda 4 (Utaka, 78), Brown 5, O’Hara 6, Boateng 8, Dindane 5 (Smith, 81), Piquionne 5 (Kanu, 62, 4).

MAN UTD: Kuszczak 8, Neville 5, Brown 6, Vidic 5, Evra 7, Scholes 6, Carrick 5 (Anderson, 78), Valencia 8, Fletcher 7, Giggs 9, Rooney 8.