MIDDLESBROUGH v PORTSMOUTH MATCH FACTS

By Come On Boro.com
October 14 2005

It's the 99th time that Boro have played Portsmouth in League and Cup combat. Boro are looking for back-to-back Premiership victories for the first time in thirty-two games.

A maximum here would set up Boro for Thursday's UEFA Cup group match against Grasshoppers in Switzerland.

Boro have lost only one of the last six League and Cup matches, but are the Premiership's most vulnerable side in the closing ten minutes of top flight games, having conceded four of the eleven goals shipped this season in the 81st to 90th minute period.

Both corresponding fixtures to date in the Premiership at the Riverside have been draws, as have Portsmouth's last three League trips to Teesside. The home side made plenty of chances but needed a late Shaka Hislop error to claim a draw in this fixture a year ago. Stewart Downing came to Boro's rescue in the 75th minute, cancelling out Diomansy Kamara's fifth-minute opener.

Portsmouth go to Middlesbrough defending an unbeaten Premiership record against us, but they're yet to register a victory in this League on Teesside. Pompey are also on a run of four winless games in League and Cup in the last month. They've not scored in two Premiership games, and have drawn two and lost one of the last three.

The 1-0 win at rock bottom Everton is Pompey's only victory this season. It leaves them one point above the bottom three and is putting their French manager Alain Perrin under some pressure, with only three victories secured in sixteen matches (fifteen Premiership) in his tenure.

Pompey's last win on Middlesbrough turf was a 2-0 victory on 16th April 1994. Their last top flight maximum there was a 5-1 pasting on 3rd September 1949.

Player spotlight: Boro

Treatment table: goalkeeper Brad Jones is sidelined with an ankle injury after stepping on a metal pole in the Aston Villa goalmouth two weeks ago.

Fellow Aussie Mark Schwarzer has been having further treatment on his shoulder injury, which forced him to miss the international against Jamaica on Sunday, but he should be fit to return in place of Jones tomorrow.

Aussie skipper Mark Viduka has recovered from his Achilles problem and celebrated with a goal against Jamaica.

However, Boro will still be without centre-back Ugo Ehiogu, who is not yet ready to return following his groin tear.

Player spotlight: Portsmouth

Treatment table: portsmouth striker Lomana LuaLua has undergone fresh hospital tests after spending last weekend in hospital.

The former Newcastle player has been out of action since contracting malaria while on international duty with the Democratic Republic of Congo last month.

Pompey's fitness coaches continue to work with LuaLua's fellow striker Collins Mbesuma and Svetoslav Todorov, both of whom were deemed unfit for first-team football by manager Alain Perrin.

But Todorov could come into the reckoning, especially if Dario Silva returns from Uruguay duty with jet lag.

Former Liverpool midfielder Salif Diao is having treatment for a hamstring injury and so is Norwegian striker Azar Karadas.

Beat the bookies

Yakubu is 4-1 favourite with bookmakers Ladbrokes to score the first goal against his former team-mates.

Certainly the Nigerian will be relishing the prospect of lining up against Portsmouth, having hit top form with his brace against Aston Villa in his last match.

Boro are 4-9 favourites to win, with Portsmouth a long shot at 9-2 and the draw 9-4. A repeat of last season's 1-1 scoreline is 11-1.

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