Portsmouth 0-2 Chelsea - Report

The Portsmouth team for todays game was:

Ashdown
Priske - O'Brien - Stefanovic - Griffin
O'Neil - Diao - Hughes - Taylor
Silva - LuaLua

Subs: Westerveld, Vukic, Vignal, Viafara, Todorov

and the Chelsea team was:

Cech
Ferreira - Carvalho - Terry - Gallas
Joe Cole - Gudjohnsen - Essien - Lampard - Duff
Crespo

Subs: Cudicini, Del Horno, Geremi, Wright-Phillips, Carlton Cole

Referee: Phil Dowd

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard marked his record-breaking 160th consecutive Premiership appearance with a goal as the champions beat managerless Pompey.

Lampard has not missed a league match for the Blues since September 2001 and celebrated by slotting in Chelsea's second goal with a 67th minute penalty.

Hernan Crespo had put Chelsea ahead when he scored from six yards after diverting in Paulo Ferreira's shot.

Lomana Lua Lua had a shot tipped over but Pompey rarely threatened.

The match had kicked off after a tribute to George Best, who died on Friday, and fans applauded the football legend before chanting his name.

Best was a frequent visitor to Fratton Park because of his close friendship with Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric and the south-coast club's owner was close to tears during the tribute.

Portsmouth were playing under the temporary charge of Joe Jordan after Alain Perrin's departure as manager and they started by trying to deny the champions time and space on the ball.

LuaLua's trickery up front was their main threat but Chelsea always looked comfortable against the strugglers.

The home side's failure to close down Damien Duff almost cost them a goal after the winger's 20-yard shot brought a scrambling save from keeper Jamie Ashdown.

Ashdwon's counterpart Petr Cech was also called into action and he impressively tipped over a LuaLua 22-yard strike at full stretch. But Portsmouth's resistance was then broken after 27 minutes with the poacher's goal from Crespo, who went off injured shortly afterwards.

A 12th league win of the season seemed inevitable for the Blues who had not conceded a Premiership goal in the second half this season.

That statistic rarely looked like being ended, although Portsmouth were more ambitious after the break with the vociferous crowd doing their best to raise their side.

But Pompey were left breathing a sigh of relief after an unmarked Ricardo Carvalho mistimed a header, although it was only a temporary reprieve.

Dejan Stefanovic brought down Joe Cole and Lampard sent Ashdown the wrong way as he slotted in to extend the visitors' lead.

Lampard's outing passed the previous record of 159 consecutive league appearances set by keeper David James while at Liverpool.

Report: bbc.co.uk/sport

wanc.co.uk's Pompey Man of the Match: Gary O'Neil

Warnock to walk out on United

Neil Warnock is reportedly close to walking out on Championship side Sheffield United to take over as our manager.

Warnock has guided the Blades to second in the Championship and is one of the most highly regarded managers outside the Premiership.

He was immediately linked with the Pompey job when Milan Mandaric decided to sack Alain Perrin in the week and now reports suggest Warnock will leave Bramall Lane to take over at Pompey.

He is already said to have met with United chiefs where he was reportedly offered a new, improved contract but the suggestions are that he is keen to try his hand in the top flight and sees Portsmouth as the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Pompey chairman Mandaric is a big admirer of the Blades boss and has already hinted talks have been held with Warnock.

He said: "Maybe I like one guy better than the rest, but I have got to look at the overall package. Perhaps we need someone to throw tea-cups and kick buckets around in the dressing-room.

"I expect an appointment inside the next two weeks, before our game at Tottenham, although it could be before that."

Former Newcastle managers Sir Bobby Robson and Ruud Gullit have also been linked with the vacant Pompey job but it appears that Warnock is the hot favourite.

Perrin Sacked!

Portsmouth Football Club today announced that Alain Perrin is to leave the club with Joe Jordan taking temporary charge with immediate effect.

Chairman Milan Mandaric explained the reasons behind the decision:

"This has not been an easy conclusion to reach. Alain Perrin is a talented coach and a good, honest man who has worked extremely hard since his arrival in April. We are all extremely grateful to him for his dedication to the club. The view taken, however, is that recent performances and the general morale amongst the squad needed improvement.

"Following a period of thought and consultation with the board, the players, staff and supporters, I have made this decision for the future of Portsmouth Football Club. This is not an easy time but I ask everyone connected with the club - especially the fans - to stick together and give their usual loyal support to help turn things around.

"A successor to Alain will be announced as quickly as possible and I would like to thank Joe Jordan for taking charge as caretaker manager on a temporary basis. I really believe that a knowledge of British football is often an underestimated asset in a manager and the demands of Premier League football are intense. We have some wonderfully talented players and the most passionate supporters in the country. I will now turn my attention to attracting a successful manager to FrattonPark. I am confident we will find the right man for the job to help Pompey get the season back on track.

"I would like to wish Alain all the very best for the future and thank him once again for his contribution over the past few months."

Roy Keane to be Player-Manager

According to today's Daily Express, Roy Keane would seriously consider joining us as player-manager.

Keane is just the kind of man we need at the moment and his presence in the changing room would inspire our underachieving players.

Meanwhile, Rangers manager Alex McLeish and Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie are the other names to be linked with a move.

Alain Perrin's job is reportedly insecure following an indifferent start to the campaign and Milan Mandaric is believed to be mulling over a potential replacement.

Something needs to be done sooner or later before it is too late.

Liverpool 3-0 Portsmouth - Report

Liverpool comfortably beat Portsmouth, though Peter Crouch's goalscoring drought shows no sign of ending.

Crouch's first-half penalty was saved by Jamie Ashdown, but Boudewijn Zenden spared the Liverpool striker's blushes by heading in the rebound.

Pompey's best player Ashdown enjoyed little luck, the Portsmouth keeper conceding a second goal when Djibril Cisse's cross floated into the net.

On 80 minutes Fernando Morientes added a third, cleverly hooking the ball in.

Brian Priske had Pompey's best chance when he missed from close range midway through the second half.

Following a corner the Dane arrived emerged from a pack of players he was unable to get any power on his shot and Jose Reina spooned the ball away.

Even given the luck Liverpool enjoyed for their first two goals, Rafael Benitez's side were well worth the win, their third successive league victory.

Portsmouth's strategy was to contain Liverpool and to try and use Lomano LuaLua's speed on the counterattack.

It was a strategy that unravelled as Liverpool overran the visitors, who were frequently outmuscled.

Crouch must be wondering just what he has to do to break his Liverpool duck in what was his 16th game since moving to Anfield.

Although he continues to lead the line with confidence, his finishing remains anxious and at times clumsy.

Before his penalty miss against one of his old clubs Crouch had been denied by Ashdown's reaction save as the Portsmouth keeper did well to push the Liverpool striker's header away with one hand.

The award of the penalty by referee Peter Walton was a little fortuitous given Zenden's rather dramatic fall following Andy Griffin's slight push on the Dutchman.

Crouch's poorly taken spotkick was saved by Ashdown but Zenden headed in the rebound despite Gregory Vignal's efforts to hook the ball away.

Early in the second half Crouch broke clear and blasted a shot goalward that Ashdown beat away.

It was primarily due to Ashdown's heroics that the scoreline had a degree of respectability as Portsmouth struggled to break out of their own half.

The Portsmouth keeper superbly palmed away Morientes' header and soon after Ashdown rushed out to gather the ball when the Spaniard threatened again.

Morientes had come on for the injured Luis Garcia's after Liverpool's first goal, a substitution that saw Cisse deployed on the right wing.

Six minutes before the interval Cisse scuttled down the right and lofted a cross towards the far post.

Much to the Frenchman's bemusement the ball sailed over Ashdown's head to land in the net.

Liverpool's third goal was due to poor defending rather than luck, the Pompey defence labouring to clear a Steven Gerrard cross, allowing Morientes time to clip the ball past Ashdown.

Report: bbc.co.uk/sport

wanc.co.uk's Pompey Man of the Match: Jamie Ashdown

Liverpool v Portsmouth - Team News

The Portsmouth team for todays game away at Liverpool is:

Ashdown
Griffin - O'Brien - Priske - Vignal
Viafara - Hughes - Taylor
O'Neil - Robert
LuaLua

Subs: Westerveld, Primus, Vukic, Skopelitis, Mbesuma

and the Liverpool team is:

Reina
Finnan - Hyypia - Carragher - Warnock
Zenden - Gerrard - Hamann Luis Garcia
Crouch - Cisse

Subs: Dudek, Xabi Alonso, Josemi, Morientes, Traore

Referee: Peter Walton

Play up Pompey!

Mandaric wants Roy Keane at Portsmouth

We have become the first club to publically declare interest in signing Roy Keane, who left Manchester United on Friday.

The 34-year-old midfielder has left the Red Devils by mutual consent after 12-and-a-half years at Old Trafford.

And Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric has quickly targeted Keane as the type of player who could help get us out of relegation danger.

A Pompey statement read: "Following instruction from Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric, the club's chief executive Peter Storrie is making enquiries about the availability of former Manchester United player Roy Keane.

"Mandaric believes Keane is exactly the kind of positive character Portsmouth Football Club would welcome."

I can't really see him coming to Fratton Park, but stranger things have happened at Pompey.

Portsmouth 0-2 Wigan - Report

The Portsmouth team for yesterdays game was:

Ashdown
Priske - Primus - Stefanovic
Griffin - Hughes - Vignal
O'Neil - Vukic - Taylor
Silva

Subs: Westerveld, Diao, Robert, Mbesuma, LuaLua

and the Wigan team was:

Filan
Chimbonda - Henchoz - De Zeeuw - Baines
Bullard - Francis - Kavanagh - McCulloch
Camara - Roberts

Subs: McMillan, Pollitt, Mahon, Jackson, Taylor

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Wigan gave a polished display to clinch their sixth successive Premiership win and leave Portsmouth still looking for a first home victory of the season.

Pascal Chimbonda rose above a static Portsmouth defence to head Wigan in front at the start of the second half.

Chimbonda turned provider as Wigan caught Portsmouth on the break, crossing for Jason Roberts to tap home.

Dario Silva's header on to the roof of the net was the closest Pompey came to adding to their three home goals.

Portsmouth were given a boost by the return on the bench of striker Lomana Lua Lua six weeks after contracting malaria.

Silva embarrassed Wigan keeper John Filan and almost headed Pompey into an early lead when he got to Gregory Vignal's long ball ahead of the Australian, but his brave header looped over the bar and on to the roof of the net.

Despite home advantage Pompey boss Alain Perrin again saddled Silva with a lone-striker's role with Zvonimir Vukic tucked in just behind.

With Silva as their sole forward outlet, Portsmouth were in danger of surrendering the initiative to Wigan's tidy football and Gary O'Neil wasted a rare sight of goal by slamming a 20-yard free-kick into the defensive wall.

Wigan made their intent clear from the start of the second half when Damien Francis saw his shot deflected wide.

But from the resulting corner Wigan took the lead when Jimmy Bullard's well-flighted corner found Chimbonda rising above a static Brian Priske to head powerfully home.

Pompey almost sprang an instant reply when Vukic's corner came off Stephane Henchoz's head and flashed across the face of goal.

Wigan should have stretched their lead when Graham Kavanagh spearheaded a swift break but with team-mates waiting the midfielder wasted the opportunity by going alone and shooting wide.

Laurent Robert was introduced to a smattering of boos from the home fans following the incident at Sunderland last week.

But he immediately whipped in a good cross which cried out for a blue shirt to attack it and when presented with a free-kick in a promising position he drove it straight into the wall.

Lua Lua's well received introduction was in marked contrast to Robert's but even his trickery struggled to make an impression on Wigan's solid defence.

Wigan sealed the points with a stunning break as Chimbonda broke up a Pompey attack, and raced down the right flank to take a return pass from Henri Camara before sprinting clear to roll the ball across the face of goal for Roberts to tap in.

Report: bbc.co.uk/sport

wanc.co.uk's Pompey Man of the Match: Linvoy Primus