Claret and blue face Pompey on Tuesday, not West Ham, not Villa but the other lot from Lancashire.
Pompey have played Burnley considerably more often than either West Ham or Villa in recent years, they have a history similar to our own, a set of rivals similarly loved like our own, but while Pompey finally awoke after nearly 50 years of slumber, Burnley are still awaiting that touch-light to step back up.
Steve Cotterill will be hoping to keep Burnley’s great start to the season rolling on, Scunthorpe were the last team to turn them over, and I’m sure David Unsworth will have a point to prove too.
Cotterill is highly thought of by Harry Redknapp, he tried to make him his number 2 when he first took the reigns at Fratton, but he wanted to remain his own man.
Not the shagging Sky pundit, but the one with 5 in 7 so far, he knows where the goal is so far, so underestimate him at your peril.
Ashdown will make another appearance in goal, and Pamarot and maybe even Linvoy will get an outing. Redknapp has confessed to a bit of squad rotation in this one, but with players like Taylor, Mendes, Nugent and Hughes to step in, we should be strong enough still.
Been ousted from the first team squad of late, and will have more to prove than most, his form was not as high as he would of liked so far, but is a class act.
I think we hammered Burnley on our last outing at Turf moor, this was during the run in to our charge to the Championship title, 5-0 I think, but correct me if I’m wrong.
Tough close game I reckon, but as Leeds found in their only defeat of the season, Pompey should prove just too strong.
Reading at Fratton