Portsmouth V Manchester City

English Premiership 2009/2010 – Game Week 4

Portsmouth V Manchester City

Kick-Off: Sunday 30^th August – 13:30 GMT

Venue: Fratton Park

Portsmouth

League Position: 19th 

Recent Form: LLL

Portsmouth are currently a club in disarray, what with all their off-pitch saga’s. When will the club be brought? Will the club even be brought? There are a lot of issues yet to be resolved at Portsmouth but one things for sure, Portsmouth are in serious trouble if they don’t dig deep into their pockets and bolster their squad before the end of the transfer window. Sol Campbell gave Pompey fans a big blow when he signed for Notts County in midweek while Sylvain Distin looks destined for a move to Aston Villa. That’s two solid centre-backs gone and Portsmouth now look extremely vulnerable at the back, especially against a player who’s a massive threat in the air in Emanuel Adebayor.

Portsmouth’s record this season currently stands at ‘Played – 3, Lost – 3′ and you’d have to be Mystic Meg herself to correctly predict when or ‘If’ Portsmouth will win their next Premiership fixture. They were dire against Fulham, dull versus Birmingham and blind awful away at Arsenal last weekend. Even the newly promoted sides stand a better chance of avoiding the drop it would seem. Portsmouth have sold many of their decent players and manager Paul Hart has been left with the scraps. If they survive this season it would be miracle. While we’re on the topic of miracles, they would need something of that proportion to escape Fratton Park this Sunday with some points.

Manchester City

League Position: 5th

Recent Form: WW

They say money can’t buy you success but Mark Hughes is well on his way to defying those clichés after two successive wins in the league alongside two fairly solid performances. With all the money poured into the squad, not only will the fans be expecting a big season of football but so will the board. Two wins from two will do for now to keep the board at bay, but the fans are already dreaming of more success as they head into another very winnable fixture against a Portsmouth side lacking in quality, depth and confidence.

Mark Hughes has shelled out well over £60 million on his new look strike force but only one has raised to the challenge. Emanuel Adebayor had his critics at Arsenal but his two goals in two games will do his confidence the world of good. However, despite all the cash spent up front, City are still having problems converting the many chances they do create. At the weekend, against Wolves, City created more then half-a-dozen clear cut chances but only one was converted. Against smaller sides, like their next opponents – Portsmouth, City will often get away with this but sooner or later, City will get punished and, from our point of view, it only seems a matter of time before they pay the price.

Mark Hughes shouldn’t find too many problems against Portsmouth as this is a game Man City really should win. Portsmouth are extremely weak in both Midfield & now defence, so the likes of Stephen Ireland, Robinho & Sean Wright-Philips should have a lot of success in the middle of the park in terms of creating some decent opportunities for the forwards. Providing whoever starts up front gets their act together, probably Emanuel Adebayor & Carlos Tevez, then City and their strikers should bag themselves a few goals here.

Head-to-Head:

Portsmouth W: 3 Man City W: 5 Draws: 2

A fixture which has generally benefited the home side. Portsmouth have won three of the previous four meetings with Man City’s last victory at Portsmouth coming five seasons ago in a 1-3 win. Portsmouth did win the very last encounter at Fratton Park 2-0 but a lot has changed since then and Man City will be aiming to reverse that scoreline this Sunday.

Overs 2.5 Goals – 4 Under 2.5 Goals – 6

Games between the two have often been close with two of Portsmouth’s three victories at home being by a 2-1 scoreline. However, the last two encounters at Fratton Park have both finished Under 2.5 Goals with Portsmouth winning 2-0 last season and the pair then drawing 0-0 the season before.

Match Verdict: Manchester City to WIN – 8/13 PaddyPower

Portsmouth have too many off-pitch issues for us to back them, despite this being a home fixture for Pompey. They were beaten on the opening day of the season by Fulham, also at Fratton Park, and Man City are a more talented side then Fulham. City have already put their away voodoo to bed after beating Blackburn at Ewood Park on the opening day. They’ve won two games on the bounce and a third successive victory does appear on the cards.

Portsmouth’s defence looks extremely weak now Sol Campbell has moved on while City’s attack looks immense. Adebayor has scored in both of City’s opening games while Tevez, Robinho, Wright-Philips & Steven Ireland will be just too much for Portsmouth to handle. City have also kept two clean sheets and with Portsmouth lacking any quality strikers, another City shut-out looks a very good bet.

Match Odds:

Portsmouth – 6/1 SkyBet

Manchester City – 8/13 PaddyPower

Draw – 14/5 Bet365

SoccerBetting Tip: Manchester City to WIN to NIL – 13/8 SkyBet