JERMAIN DEFOE may have recorded his 22nd goal of the season, and his sixth against Wigan, to help rekindle Tottenham’s hopes of Champions League qualification, but a late double from out of favour striker Roman Pavlyuchenko proved to be the talking point.

HARRY REDKNAPP is backing his Croatian connection to land another famous double for Tottenham.

ASTON VILLA will have to wait until today to confirm the signing of defender Richard Dunne from Manchester City.

HARD graft has been the secret behind Portsmouth’s success under Paul Hart, and the club’s caretaker manager has no intention of easing off simply because safety is, at last, in sight.

WEST BROMWICH ALBION are going down, but with style.

KENNY MILLER gave Scotland hope for the future with a fierce strike to spare new manager George Burley from a debut defeat against Croatia at Hampden.

Scotland 1 Croatia 1

IT was the gasp that gave it away. When Nico Kranjcar’s streaky long-range shot bounced off Scott Carson’s chest and skidded into the bottom corner o f his net, it sounded as if Wembley had been winded.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp hailed his players for a “fantastic” demolition of Reading, who were beaten 7-4 on a crazy day of scoring at Fratton Park.

Portsmouth 7 Reading 4

Glen Johnson, on loan at Fratton Park last season, is set to play right back for Portsmouth at Arsenal on Sunday after signing for Harry Redknapp’s team in a £4m move from Chelsea.

Chelsea new boy Juliano Belletti has to settle for a place on the substitute’s bench against Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge.

Portsmouth 1 Fulham 0

Manchester United 3 Portsmouth 0