Head To Head v Pompey In League Cup

JayVFC looks at the Pompey Carling Cup clash:



Last Matches

VILLA v Tottenham

Agbonlahor gives Villa the lead early on as they start the game well. They then seem to be content to protect the one goal lead and let Spurs back into the game. After a second half dominated by Tottenham, Dawson nets the equaliser as well have having one ruled out. A 1-1 draw was maybe a fair result but more alarming will be lack of shooting that again was a key issue.

PORTSMOUTH v Manchester United

Without really expecting any thing from the game, bottom placed Pompey conceded a Wayne Rooney hat trick (two being penalties.) Kevin Prince-Boateng netted a penalty of his own as a consolation in a 4-1 drubbing.

Prediction

The woes of Portsmouth’s league campaign seem to be in stark contrast to their Cup form. Although their opposition has been somewhat of an easy route through to the Quarter Finals with matches against Hereford, Carlisle & Stoke they will be buoyed by the knowledge that the Cup could be there only form of success this season. Avram Grant takes charge of his second home game without the cup tied quartet of Kevin Prince-Boateng, Jamie O-Hara, Mike Williamson & Tommy Smith.

Thanks to the heroics of Brad Guzan in the third round against Sunderland, Villa secured passage to the Quarter Finals with a penalty shootout victory. Guzan should be back in the starting line up but O’Neill seems to be taking the competition a bit more seriously this time out so expect to see a strong team travel to Portsmouth.

The fixture could be a potential banana skin for Villa but the gulf in class between the two teams should be enough to see an away win. I’ll eat my hat if we don’t progress to the semis.

Portsmouth 1-3 Aston Villa

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