Palace v Portsmouth

Selhurst Park, Sunday 1.00pm

Darren Powell

Team news

Palace, without a win in eight games, need to start picking up points over the festive period in their bid for Premiership safety.

Darren Powell has returned from his loan spell with West Ham but Tommy Black (broken fibula) and Nicola Ventola (ankle) are out.

Portsmouth strikers Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Diomansy Kamara return to the squad and one is likely to replace RICARDO FULLER - formerly on trial at Palace.

Lomana Lua Lua (ear), David Unsworth (hamstring) are injured, while Gary O'Neil (back) faces a late fitness test. Ifit enough, Nigel Quashie will replace him.

Dejan Stefanovic (thigh) Hayden Foxe, Vincent Pericard and Svetoslav Todorov are all on the Fratton Park injury list.

Portsmouth - league stats

Full league table

Portsmouth - current form

Full form table

Our home record v Portsmouth

Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
11/09/2004	League	Portsmouth	3 - 1	Crystal Palace
26/12/2002	League	Portsmouth	1 - 1	Crystal Palace
17/08/2002	League	Crystal Palace	2 - 3	Portsmouth
05/03/2002	League	Crystal Palace	0 - 0	Portsmouth
15/09/2001	League	Portsmouth	4 - 2	Crystal Palace

All time results

One to watch

Yakubu Aiyegbeni

Not really a difficult choice this week from a struggling Pompey side.

Yakubu is a quality striker who knows where the goal is and very rarely needs a second bite at the cherry.

He’s extremely quick, very skillful and has strength in abundance. He knows where the net is and is possibly one of the best strikers in the Premier League this season.

Definitely a one of few roses in a thorn bush as far as Pompey are concerned this season.

Other players who could prove dangerous to Palace are:

Patrik Berger. The former Liverpool and Czech Republic midfielder has the ability to boss the midfield, and control the pace and direction of the game. His ability to provide a decisive ball through to Yakubu could be vital to Pompey’s attacking options.

Finally, Lomana Lua Lua, another pacy, versatile option for the Pompey gaffer. He’s not afraid to run at a defence and is very tricky to deal with at the best of times.

The Pompey boss will be looking to continue their recent mini-survival against the Eagles and will look to put the game away early.

Last meeting

Portsmouth 3-1 Palace

Saturday September 11 2004

Portsmouth: Hislop, Primus, De Zeeuw (Taylor, 12), Stefanovic, Unsworth, Stone, Quashie, Berger, Berkovic (Faye, 62), Yakubu, Fuller (Kamara, 54)

Subs not used: Ashdown, LuaLua

Goals: Fuller 3, Berger 47, Popovic 85(og)

Palace: Speroni, Boyce, Hudson, Popovic, Granville, Routledge (Derry, 86), Riihilahti (Hughes, 86), Hall, Kolkka (Ventola, 70), Johnson, Torghelle

Subs not used: Kiraly, Powell

Bookings: Derry, Hall

Goals: Granville 43

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