Premier League preview: Aston Villa v Portsmouth

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Aston Villa team news
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is waiting for news on the fitness of striker Gabriel Agbonlahor ahead of tomorrow's Barclays Premier League match against Portsmouth. Agbonlahor sustained a hamstring injury while on England Under-21 duty against Wales at Villa Park on Tuesday and had to be substituted at half-time.

O'Neill has fielded the same starting line-up for the opening eight league games but may make changes after the 2-0 defeat at Chelsea a fortnight ago, with winger James Milner and centre-back Carlos Cuellar pushing for inclusion.

Provisional squad: Friedel, Guzan, Taylor, L Young, Gardner, Davies, Laursen, Cuellar, Knight, Shorey, Reo-Coker, Milner, Barry, Petrov, Osbourne, Salifou, Routledge, A Young, Carew, Agbonlahor, Harewood.

Portsmouth team news
Portsmouth are almost certain to be without midfielders Lassana Diarra and Richard Hughes for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League trip to Aston Villa. Diarra has been troubled by a knee injury and Hughes has a groin problem, while Niko Kranjcar (ankle) is still at least two weeks away from a return.

Papa Bouba Diop will switch from the right to his preferred central midfield role, leaving fit-again John Utaka and Glen Little to contest the wide position.

Younes Kaboul, who injured his back playing for France Under-21s in midweek is also likely to be unavailable but Sean Davis is expected to feature despite suffering back-spasms during training.

Provisional squad: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Belhadj, Utaka, Little, Davis, Diop, A Traore, Crouch, Defoe, Kanu, Pamarot, Hreidarsson, Mvuemba, Thomas, Sahar, Lauren, Ashdown.

The New Football Pools pundits' predictions
John Barnes: Home win
Tony Cascarino: Home win
Graham Poll: Home win

Opta Match Facts
Jermain Defoe has scored five goals in his last five Premier League games.
Defoe has scored four goals in his last three Premier League starts against Villa.
Peter Crouch has scored four goals in his last three games in all competitions.
All of Portsmouth's goals have been scored by Englishmen this season - the only team with 100% of goals from one nationality.
There have been three penalties and three red cards in the last four Premier League meetings between Villa and Pompey.
Portsmouth are unbeaten in their last four against Villa and won both league meetings last season.
Villa have kept just one clean sheet in their last 11 league outings.
Portsmouth have kept four clean sheets in their last 13 away games, but have conceded more than one goal in each of the other nine tallying 28 goals.
John Carew has scored four goals in his last five league games at Villa Park.
Portsmouth have only drawn one of their last 20 league games.

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