Pompey Preview

By Paul Holland
August 12 2002

On Tuesday 12 August 2002 will kick-off the second game in Nationwide League Division One at Bramall Lane against Portsmouth, United go into the game after losing 2-1 to Coventry on Saturday afternoon.

The game against Coventry did not go as well at it should have, the Blades looked Sharpe and took the lead after 13 minutes when Carl Asaba reminded United fans what he can do as he stuck his 25 yard shot past keeper Hydgaard.

The lead did not last long as 3 minutes when Jay Bothroyd leveled from a corner. Just before half time McSefferey took the lead for Sky Blues.

The Blades line up should feature one change after Welsh International Robert Page was injured on Saturday, however the team could look like this:

Kenny, Yates, Murphy, Kozluk, Ullathorne, Jagielka, Tonge, Brown, Ndlovu, Asaba, Onoura.

New boy Deon Burton helped Portsmouth to a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at Fratton Park last weekend with Pericard grabbing the second. Portsmouth expected line up should not have any changes made from that, that played against Forest:

Hislop, Howe, Foxe, De Zeeuw, Taylor, O'Neil, Robinson, Quashie, Merson, Burton, Pericard.

In the summer Harry Redknapp has brought in some very decent players to his Pompey squad, against Forest Shaka Hislop (West Ham United), Deon Burton (Derby County) and Paul Merson (Aston Villa) all made their league debut's, no wonder they are tipped for promotion this season.

Last season at Bramall Lane the Blades were entertained as they won 4-3 in the last minute. Portsmouth took the lead early on through Peter Crouch but United soon equalized through Nick Montgomery after Beasent spilled a Brown free-kick. United went a head after on loan striker Paul Furlong out jumped Lewis Buxton to nod home from a Montgomery corner. Carl Asaba made it 3-1 to home side after Jason Crowe hit a very short pass to keeper only for Asaba to quickly jump in and slot home.

Before half time a Simon Tracey blunder gave Pompey a goal. In Second half Nigel Quashie equalized from a Prozinecki free-kick, in last minute Michael Brown was brought down in penalty area by ex blade Shaun Derry only for Furlong to send keeper wrong way and to give Blades all three points.

United are going to find this game very tough but Portsmouth are away and United are a hard nut to crack when at home, I think that United may just have the cutting edge to win this game 1-0.