Barclays Premier League
Venue: Fratton Park Date: Wednesday, 24 March 2010 Kick-off: 1945 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, local radio & full match commentary on 5 live sports extra
TEAM NEWS
**Portsmouth will be without striker Aruna Dindane for the visit of Chelsea.**The cash-strapped club are unable to pay the £4m transfer fee that would be triggered if the Lens loanee made another appearance.
Chelsea will be missing full-back Branislav Ivanovic, who hobbled off at half-time against Blackburn after picking up a knee injury.
Goalkeeper Petr Cech trained on Friday but remains a doubt and will be assessed before Wednesday’s match.
Portsmouth
Doubtful: Boateng (ankle), Utaka (groin), Yebda (knee)
Injuredunavailable: Dindane (contractual), Vanden Borre (hamstring)
Chelsea
Doubtful: Cech (calf), Hilario (groin)
Injured: Bosingwa, Essien & Ivanovic (knee), A Cole (ankle)
MATCH PREVIEW
A week after the morale-sapping European defeat to Jose Mourinho’s Inter, can Chelsea get their title bid back on track against another club with the ex-factor
“You see Kanu, he’s not young any more but he is clever - I think he will play until he is 51… that is in two years!”
Pompey boss Avram Grant on 33-year-old striker Kanu
Portsmouth boss Avram Grant got the boot from Stamford Bridge despite taking the club to the 2008 Champions League final. Carlo Ancelotti failed to make it beyond the last 16 this season, making domestic success a must if he is to hold on to his job.
Elimination against Inter was followed by Sunday’s draw at Blackburn, a result that leaves the Blues third in the table, albeit having played a match fewer than the top two.
Their game in hand comes at Fratton Park, where the Londoners cannot afford to lose any more ground in the title race.
But this is a more awkward fixture for Ancelotti than it might initially appear. Portsmouth’s points penalty has ended any lingering hopes of survival, but also lifted some of the pressure on the Pompey players.
Kanu’s winner against Hull on Saturday will have boosted their confidence. Compared to the Chelsea squad, Grant’s side have nothing to lose.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Portsmouth have not won in their last 17 top-flight matches against Chelsea, spanning 52 years (D4, L13). If they fail to win on Wednesday it will equal the club’s longest streak without a top-flight victory against another team - they have failed to beat Arsenal in 18 consecutive matches.
• Chelsea have won 12 and drawn one of their 13 Premier League matches against Portsmouth. They are unbeaten in their last eight top-flight visits to Fratton Park since a 3-0 defeat in December 1957.
606: DEBATE
Have your say on this match
Portsmouth
• They are vying for back-to-back wins for the first time in 17 months since beating Tottenham and Stoke at home in 2008.
• Portsmouth have not kept a clean sheet in any of their 12 league matches since the 2-0 home win against Liverpool on 19 December.
• They have scored in each of their last six league matches - their best scoring run of the season.
• Manager Avram Grant won 36, drew 13 and lost five of his 54 matches in charge of Chelsea from 2007 to 2008.
Chelsea
• Chelsea have only won three of their last seven league matches (W3, D2, L2).
• They have lost 16 points from winning positions this season. Only Stoke City (19) have fared worse.
• Didier Drogba has scored 13 goals in his last 13 league matches.
• Nicolas Anelka has scored in each of his last five league matches against Portsmouth.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
Portsmouth
Piquionne: 10 goals (5 league); Dindane: 7 goals (5 league)
Chelsea
Drogba: 28 goals (22 league); Lampard: 16 goals (12 league)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Lee Mason
Assistant referees: Jake Collin & Mick McDonough
Fourth official: Kevin Friend
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
**Portsmouth **(W3-2 v Hull, h): James; Mullins, Rocha (Basinas 84), Hreidarsson, Belhadj, Smith, Mokoena (Kanu 57), Wilson, O’Hara, Owusu-Abeyie (Webber 82), Piquionne. Subs not used: Ashdown, Diop, Brown, Finnan.
**Chelsea **(D1-1 v Blackburn, a): Turnbull; Ivanovic (Zhirkov 46), Alex, Terry, Ferreira, Mikel, Kalou (Deco 74), Malouda, Lampard, Anelka (Sturridge 90), Drogba. Subs not used: Sebek, Joe Cole, Matic, Bruma.
MOST RECENT MEETING
Chelsea 2-1 Portsmouth (16 December 2009)
Chelsea scorers: Anelka 23, Lampard (pen) 79
Portsmouth scorer: Piquionne 51