Preview: City v Pompey

South coast 'crisis club' Portsmouth visit Eastlands this weekend hoping to put in a better performance than they did last time round, being on the end of a 6-0 drubbing that included goals from such prolific stars as Jo, Richard Dunne, Chedwyn Evans and Gelson 'headless chicken' Fernandes. An absolute home banker according to the critics, you'd hope we'll manage another three home points.

Pompey really do sound like they're on their last legs, bowing out of the Premier League with a whimper after an arduous last year or so that's seen them lose their manager, half their squad, be handed from pillar to post, clueless owner to clueless owner, and finally losing any lingering self-respect they had this week by struggling to pay their basic bills.

Younnes Kaboul, their best player so far this season, has rejoined Spurs as Harry Redknapp's shameless pillaging of his former employer continues. Asmir Begovic is expected to join Stoke and so won't play. Usual No.1 David James has a calf injury and may yet move on, too. Michael Brown and Papa Bouba Diop are missing with back and calf injuries, respectively. Nadir Belhadj and Hassan Yebda are now back from Angola but are unlikely to play. Aruna Dindane could make the bench following Ivory Coast's earlier exit.

For us, Pat Vieira still sounds well off a full debut, but Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure should at least make the squad. Carlos Tevez is expected to be rested after another tireless performance at Old Trafford. Roque Santa Cruz will still be missing with his calf problem, and Wayne Bridge, Joleon Lescott and Michael Johnson with knee injuries of various severity. Competition for places on the flanks has obviously decreased with both Vlad Weiss and Robinho leaving on loan.

I imagine we might see Emmanuel Adebayor get his first start in six weeks tomorrow in a game that should prove a good chance for him to bed himself back in. Dedryck Boyata, who particularly impressed in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final, may get the afternoon off, though the partnership between him and countryman Vince Kompany shows signs of promise. Micah Richards is perhaps most likely to move central rather than Kolo making an instant return.

I'd like to see Stevie Ireland start, and am surprised that Gareth Barry isn't being used more sparingly given his groin problems that may quite possibly require surgery before the World Cup. We'll have plenty of the ball tomorrow, and Ireland's masterclass in last year's fixture is still fresh in the memory. Mancini might well continue with a three across midfield, with SWP and Bellamy supporting Ade, but Craig, too, could do with an afternoon off after having what by his standards would have to be considered a successful season on the injury front.

For all that they're weighed down by the doom and gloom of being bottom of the league and close to administration, Pompey are unbeaten in four, and at times this season have played some nice stuff. I was actually quite impressed by their football, albeit under Paul Hart, now gone to and been sacked by QPR, and they certainly aren't the worst side to watch in this league, though with the odds stacked against them as they are it's hard to see them escaping the drop.

Tomorrow will by no means be a walk in the park. We can't take an apparently easy fixture for granted, especially as the sides who have now gone above us have dropped points in recent weeks. The next four games represent a good chance for us to push on and make ourselves favourites for fourth place, and we must be as up for battle as we've been for 'bigger' games against more fashionable opposition.

I fancy us for the three points and a couple of goals at least against such a makeshift back five. I can only see them packing the midfield and hoping to frustrate us, but we should have enough. One concern of recent performances has been the narrow positioning of our full-backs, and if Utaka and new arrival Owusu-Abeyie do start wide of a five, they could have some luck. Let's hope not. Comfortable home win.

Possible teams:
City: Given, Zabaleta, Garrido, Richards, Kompany, de Jong, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Bellamy, Adebayor, Petrov

Pompey: Ashdown, Finnan, Hreidarsson, Ben Haim, Wilson, Mokoena, Boateng, O'Hara, Utaka, Piquionne, Owusu-Abeyie

Prediction: City 3 Portsmouth 0