Mendes makes rare start for Pompey

Pedro Mendes makes only his fifth Premier League start of the season as midfield deputy for injured Sean Davis as Portsmouth stick to a 4-5-1 formation for their battle fellow European hopefuls Everton at Fratton Park today.

Manager Harry Redknapp has suffered a nightmare week in the process of the latest police probe into soccer corruption and is out on bail after his midweek arrest.

He welcomes back striker Kanu even though the Nigerian could only find a place on the bench to begin with.

Not surprisingly, Everton manager David Moyes chose an unchanged team after last week’s 7-1 demolition of Sunderland.

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Pamarot, Utaka, Diop, Pedro Mendes, Muntari, Kranjcar, Mwaruwari.

Subs: Ashdown, Hreidarsson, Nugent, Taylor, Kanu.

Everton: Howard, Neville, Yobo, Lescott, Nuno Valente, Arteta, Osman, Carsley, Cahill, Pienaar, Yakubu.

Subs: Wessels, Hibbert, Johnson, Jagielka, Anichebe.

Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).