Portsmouth v West Ham United
Fratton Park
Saturday 27 October
Kick-off: 5.15pm
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Live on Setanta Sports
Full audio commentary on WHUTV - where you can also watch an interview with Matthew Etherington and see Alan Curbishley's pre-match press conference. Click here for details of a three-month free trial offer.
Team news
West Ham United go to Portsmouth hoping to end a run of three defeats against their south-coast rivals on Saturday with manager Alan Curbishley expecting to field a similar squad to that which ended a three-match losing streak with a 3-1 defeat of Sunderland last Sunday. While Nigel Quashie came through a midweek reserve match for his first run-out since March, the fixture is expected to be too soon for the Scotland midfielder.
Curbishley is still without Scott Parker after the midfielder suffered a setback in his rehabilitation from a knee ligament injury. Strike duo Dean Ashton and Bobby Zamora are still on the sidelines as are long-term midfield casualties Julien Faubert and Kieron Dyer, while Calum Davenport is out with a persistent groin problem. However, Anton Ferdinand and Nolberto Solano's fitness will have been boosted by substitute appearances last time out when Craig Bellamy showed over 90 minutes that he was back to his best.
Portsmouth have had a fairly settled lineup this season. Forwards Nwankwo Kanu (knee) and David Nugent (groin) are the only notable names on the injury list although midfielder Sean Davis is suspended, meaning a likely start for Pedro Mendes. Richard Hughes is also banned after a reserve-team dismissal but has not been involved of late.
The south-coast club boast two former Hammers in the shape of goalkeeper David James and right-back Glen Johnson, who scored his first Pompey goal in last week's 2-0 win at Wigan. Manager Harry Redknapp is also well known to Hammers fans, having served the club as a player between 1965 and 1972 and managed the team between 1994 and 2001.
Background
Victory would take tenth-placed West Ham United within two points of fifth-placed Portsmouth with a game in hand. Their hosts, who are looking for a fifth league win in a row, could move fourth, until Sunday at least. Curbishley will know the advantage of taking an early lead as the club have won all four Premier League games this season when they have opened the scoring, along with both Carling Cup matches.
Only Robert Green and Matthew Upson have played every minute of the club's nine Premier League matches this season, while David James and Sylvain Distin have done the same in Portsmouth's ten fixtures. The hosts boast the league's top scorer in the shape of seven-goal Benjani Mwaruwari, while no visiting player has scored more than twice this campaign.
Last six league meetings
26 December 2006 - West Ham United 1-2 Portsmouth (Premier League)
14 October 2006 - Portsmouth 2-0 West Ham United (Premier League)
18 March 2006 - West Ham United 2-4 Portsmouth (Premier League)
26 December 2005 - Portsmouth 1-1 West Ham United (Premier League)
16 January 1993 - West Ham United 2-0 Portsmouth (Championship - first division)
27 September 1992 - Portsmouth 0-1 West Ham United (Championship - first division)
Club information
Away tickets for this fixture are SOLD OUT. Please be aware that British Transport Police are advising West Ham United supporters not to travel to this game by train due to major engineering works taking place this weekend throughout the area. For more information of the engineering works, please click here and for directions by road, click here.