Portsmouth v Newcastle United - Preview

Tomorrow we kick off without star striker Lomana Lua Lua who has malaria and winger Laurent Robert who is ineligible.

Robert is ineligible to play under the terms of his move from St James' Park.

Norwegian loan man and current Pompey boo boy Azar Karadas could be handed a further chance to impress in Lua Lua's absence alongside Dario Silva after failing to find the net in eight appearances.

Hopefully he has taken Alain Perrin's advice onboard and does not try to do everything. If he sticks to his strengths and does not try to over complicate his play, he could pose a handful for the fragile Newcastle defense.

Both Andy O'Brien and Andy Griffin are available to face their former employers and transfer deadline day signing Zvonimir Vukic is hoping to be fit to stake a claim for a midfield slot.

Under fire Alain Perrin will be on the bench after avoiding a touchline ban for his dismissal against Bolton.

Newcastle will be without hamstring victim Emre but Kieron Dyer is available after recovering from his own hamstring injury.

Summer signing Albert Luque is a long-term absentee with yet another hamstring injury, meaning that Dyer is likely to line up alongside Scott Parker, Lee Bowyer and the in-form Charles N'Zogbia in midfield - although our former player Amdy Faye will also be keen to face us.

My starting XI and substitutes bench for the game tomorrow is:

Ashdown
Priske - O'Brien - Stefanovic - Vignal
O'Neil - Diao - Vukic - Taylor
Karadas - Silva

Subs: Westerveld, Mbesuma, Todorov, Hughes, Viafara

Although if my recent efforts to preempt Alain Perrin's team selections are anything to go by, expect a totally different team to take the field tomorrow!