League leaders Liverpool, fresh after their impressive 1-0 victory away to Chelsea which ended Big Phil Scolari’s side’s amazing 86 game unbeaten run at home, welcome Portsmouth to Anfield tonight, a team still coming to terms with the sudden departure of Harry Redknapp who left to take the helm at Tottenham Hotspur. Earlier this week, Redknapp’s No. 2 Tony Adams was appointed as the new manager of Pompey, however the players’ morale is already low due to Redknapp’s departure and the former Gunner could perhaps face an exodus in the January transfer window, with Jermain Defoe already being linked with a swift return to White Hart Lane to join up with his former gaffer again. Here is what Adams had to say on being appointed as manager:
“I would have been really disappointed if anybody had got the job over me. I’ve been here making my contribution for nearly two-and-a-half years.
“And I’ve come to the conclusion that these are my kind of people at Portsmouth, working-class passionate fans who want to see entertaining football.
“I think I know what they want. They want their team to give everything and that’s what I’ve got to try to ensure.”
Reds boss Rafael Benitez, whose team are the only unbeaten team still remaining in the Premier League, could be forgiven to think that his side are playing Portsmouth at the best possible time, with the players unsettled and with a new manager just installed, who will take time to develop an understanding with the players. With Rafa’s Reds sitting pretty at the top of the league, he would hope for three points tonight to retain the number 1 spot and apply further pressure on Chelsea to keep up with them. However Benitez is not getting too carried away:
“We are at the top for the first time and everybody is waiting for our reaction, to see whether we can we handle it.
“So we must concentrate even more now. We must not slip up or lose our focus.
“We are in a fantastic position and we will try to stay there as long as we can.”
The only major blow for the Reds is the absence of Fernando Torres, who still remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, but should make his return against Spurs on Saturday. However this should not worry Benitez that much, as Liverpool managed to beat Chelsea on Sunday without the presence of Torres. Fellow strike partner Robbie Keane is also suffering from a recurring groin injury, but is expected to make it into the starting line-up tonight.
Portsmouth skipper Glen Johnson is a doubt for Adams with a hamstring injury, as is his compatriot Glen Johnson who has a pelvic injury. It will be a happy return for Peter Crouch, as he leads the strikeforce against the team he left in the summer of this year.
Gruffudd Owen
