arsenal vs portsmouth [preview]

Arsenal v Portsmouth
Live text and stats
Content will update automatically

Saturday, 22 August 2009

Premier League

Home Team Score Away Team Time
Arsenal v Portsmouth 1500



ARSENALPORTSMOUTHPossession
Arsenal 50% Portsmouth 50% Shots on target
Arsenal 0 Portsmouth 0 Shots off target
Arsenal 0 Portsmouth 0 Corners
Arsenal 0 Portsmouth 0 Fouls
Arsenal 0 Portsmouth 0 Barclays Premier League
Venue: Emirates Stadium Date: Saturday 22 August Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio & highlights on Match of the Day


TEAM NEWS
Arsenal's Eduardo is over the groin strain that made him a late withdrawal from the bench against Celtic but Theo Walcott still has a back problem.

Manager Arsene Wenger could field the same starting XI for the third consecutive match.

Portsmouth trio Steve Finnan, Hermann Hreidarsson and Papa Bouba Diop are all out with hamstring injuries, with the latter facing six weeks out.

Meanwhile, new signing Anti Niemi needs surgery on his elbow.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arsenal

Suspended: None

Injured: Walcott (back), Djourou (knee), Rosicky (hamstring), Nasri (leg), Fabianski (knee)

Portsmouth

Suspended: None

Injured: Diop, Hreidarsson & Finnan (hamstring), Primus (ankle)


MATCH PREVIEW
While Arsene Wenger has been talking about a European super league, Portsmouth fans already have a worried eye on the Championship.

Having lost a host of players since last season, Pompey have now lost their first two matches, and appear to have also lost hope that Sulaiman Al Fahim will be able to complete his planned takeover.

A consortium led by chief executive Peter Storrie is now hoping to buy the club, who are without a point or a goal so far this season and in danger of beginning a Premier League campaign with three defeats for the first time.

In contrast, it has been a great start to the season for Arsenal, who thrashed Everton 6-1 at Goodison Park last weekend and who already look to have a bit more steel about them than in recent years.

606: DEBATE
Discuss Saturday's game
Wenger's men beat Portsmouth at the end of last season to clinch fourth and a spot in the Champions League and earlier this week, they took a big step towards the group stages of that competition with a win at Celtic.

All of which means they'll be brimming with confidence for the visit of Portsmouth, who have not beaten the Gunners in over half a century.


MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

• Arsenal are unbeaten in the last 19 league and cup matches against Portsmouth (W11, D8).

• Portsmouth last beat Arsenal in March 1958, a 5-4 home win in the old First Division. Their last win at Arsenal was in September 1955.

Arsenal

• The Gunners have lost just once in the league in 2009 and have suffered just one defeat in 25 league games.

• Arsenal last won their first two Premier League matches in the 2004/05 season, when they won their first five games and eventually finished second.

Portsmouth

• Portsmouth have not beaten any of the 'Big Four' in 17 attempts since a 2-1 home win over Liverpool in April 2007.

• Pompey are yet to win on their travels in 2009. Their last away win was at Sunderland in November 2008.

• It's exactly since 10 hours since Portsmouth last scored a league goal away from home. Their last was when Peter Crouch scored at Middlesbrough in March.

• Portsmouth have failed to score in seven of their last eight league games.

• David James has made 549 career top-flight appearances; Steve Finnan has made 399 English league starts; Nwankwo Kano has made 149 English league starts.

bbc sports

-----------------------
admin