Niko Kranjcar is a major doubt for Portsmouth’s home clash with Manchester United after limping off with an ankle injury during Croatia’s 3-2 midweek win in Slovenia. But Lassana Diarra has recovered from a knee injury caused by Deco’s unpunished bad tackle in the 4-0 defeat by Chelsea last week while Sean Davis and Richard Hughes are fit again after hip problems to provide plenty of midfield competition.
Manager Harry Redknapp, still likely to be without Kanu (ankle) and David Nugent (groin), remains committed to playing two strikers despite the Chelsea rout but his main dilemma could be where to fit in new defender Younes Kaboul, an emergency midfielder on his debut last week.
Other new signings Glen Little and Armand Traore might share Kranjcar’s left-sided role - one from the substitutes’ bench - if the Croat is sidelined.
Redknapp has made a habit of putting a spike into Manchester United’s lofty ambitions over the years but knows the clash at Fratton Park could be the biggest test yet of his Portsmouth team’s ability to compete with the elite.
He said: “I always look forward to these games and we have a tremendous record against them at Fratton Park. “Last season we did not lose at home to any of the big four.
“Sure, it looks a really big test for us now but I think we are still a very good team at home and we will take some beating. United won’t relish coming here. They never do.
“They have world-class players like (Wayne) Rooney and (Carlos) Tevez to name but too.
“You could frighten yourself thinking of how much quality there is.
“But the key to playing any of the big four is to match their work-rate. “We didn’t do that against Chelsea. I’ve seen the stats and they did more running than us and we got hammered. Hopefully, we’ve learned from that.”
Meanwhile, Anderson will return in time to face Pompey but the Brazilian is still a doubtful starter.
Although United are desperately short of midfield options, Sir Alex Ferguson does not think it would be the wisest move to bring Anderson back so quickly after flying back from Olympic duty in China.
Owen Hargreaves and Park Ji-sung trained with United’s first team squad at their Carrington HQ on Friday morning but only Hargreaves has even the slimmest chance of being involved against Pompey, with the Super Cup tie with Zenit St Petersburg next Friday a more likely comeback date after having injections to combat a tendinitis problem.
The sight of Cristiano Ronaldo on the training ground would have gladdened the hearts of United followers, although the Portugal international will not be back in action until October following an ankle operation.
Carlos Tevez has returned after a family bereavement kept him out of the opening day draw with Newcastle, while Nemanja Vidic is expected to be fit despite not training on Friday morning. Nani completes a three-game ban.