Paul Hart has the unenviable task of arresting a slump in form, which threatens Portsmouth’s Premier League survival when Manchester City arrives on the south coast.
A run of seven defeats from its last eight games, which led to the sacking of Tony Adams earlier in the week, has left Pompey languishing in 16th place on the table and Hart with a major job on his hands to raise morale in time for today.
Last weekend’s 3-2 defeat by Liverpool further drained the spirit from an already low squad and the caretaker manager could opt to ring the changes this weekend.
Arnold Mvuemba, Noe Pamarot, Niko Kranjcar, Kanu Nwankwo and January signing of Theofanis Gekas could all be drafted into the starting line-up should Hart attempt to shake-up a misfiring side.
Midfield trio, Papa Bouba Diop, Richard Hughes and Jerome Thomas are the only players unavailable through injury.
Manchester City will make the journey south for the second time in a month following the postponement of this fixture due to a frozen pitch in mid-January.
City was relishing the trip to Fratton Park having thumped Portsmouth 6-0 at Eastlands in late September and manager Mark Hughes will be looking for more of the same today from his inconsistent side.
City was 1-0 winners over Middlesbrough last weekend as they picked up a third win in four Premier League games.
However, their dismal showing in a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Stoke City the previous weekend highlights the unpredictable nature of Hughes’ side.
The arrival of experienced goalkeeper Shay Given and left-back Wayne Bridge in January are likely to bring more stability, while two goals in his first three games for Wales striker Craig Bellamy is a promising start to life at Eastlands.
Bellamy’s form has helped minimise the impact of a barren spell for Robinho, with the Brazil forward still without a goal in 2009.
Hughes will be without suspended duo Richard Dunne and Shaun Wright-Phillips at Fratton Park.
Benjani Mwaruwari, Martin Petrov, Michael Johnson, Dietmar Hamann, Daniel Sturridge and Valeri Bojinov remain in the treatment room.