Leicester vs Portsmouth Preview

Last updated : 18 March 2011 By Jim Bonner
Pompey travel to the Walkers Stadium looking to complete their first league double over Leicester City since the 1929/1930 season.

Team News

Steve Cotterill is likely to start with the same eleven that started the goalless draw with Middlesbrough last Saturday. Liam Lawrence picked up a knock in training, but should be fit for a place on the bench.

Yakubu will start against the club where he made his name and there were reports that another former Blue in Diomansy Kamara would sign for Leicester in time to play but that hasn't materialised.

Patrick van Aanholt and Steve Howard are missing through injury though Jeffrey Bruma could return to the squad after two games out.

The Match

It felt great to watch Pompey destroy Leicester at Fratton Park and pick up their first win of the season, but it may feel even better to beat one of our bogey teams at the Walkers Stadium at the third time of asking.

Completing the double over Leicester will be no means easy, however, as much has changed since the Foxes' humiliation at Fratton Park.

Milan Mandaric has gone and been replaced by a rich Asian consortium, Paulo Sousa got the boot and was replaced with Sven Goran-Eriksson and there are now genuine hopes of promotion rather than relegation in Leicestershire.

The most predictable thing about this match is that Yakubu is certain to score against us. He did it for Middlesbrough, he did it for Everton and I expect he'll break his goal drought for Leicester too.

That's not to say that we'll lose. Pompey have performed better away from home than at Fratton Park but didn't get what they deserved from their trip to Bristol City.

If Rocha doesn't get a rush of blood to the head and Pompey can get a bit of luck then perhaps there is a first double on the cards since 1930.

Predicted Starting Line-Ups

Leicester

GK: RICARDO

RB: Kyle NAUGHTON
CB: Sol BAMBA
CB: Miguel VITOR
LB: Ben MEE

CM: Yuki ABE
CM: Richie WELLENS
CM: Andy KING

RWF: Darius VASSELL
LWF: Paul GALLAGHER
CF: YAKUBU

Pompey

GK: Jamie ASHDOWN

RB: Ritchie DE LAET
CB: Greg HALFORD
CB: Ricardo ROCHA
LB: Hermann HREIDARSSON

DM: Jonathan HOGG
DM: Hayden MULLINS

RM: David COTTERILL
CM: Joel WARD
LM: David NUGENT

CF: Dave KITSON

Last Time: Leicester City 3 Portsmouth 1 (Premier League - 08/05/2004)

Matt Taylor deflected Paul Dickov's cross into his own net just six minutes into this match before the Scot then doubled the hosts' lead midway through the first half.

Nigel Quashie (of all people) pulled one back for Pompey after the break but James Scowcroft scored to make the game safe after Shaka Hislop could only parry Dickov's shot to him.

The visiting fans would have the last laugh, though, as Pompey were safe and Leicester's fate was sealed as they were relegated at the end of the season.

My Prediction

Yakubu is bound to score, so Pompey are going to need to find the net and I think they will. However, we get no luck at the Walkers and I wouldn't be surprised to see another unfortunate defeat here.

Leicester City 2 Portsmouth 1