Redknapp rests James for Rovers clash

England goalkeeper David James missed his first Premier League game since joining Portsmouth at the start of last season.

Manager Harry Redknapp decided to take no chances with a calf injury which the 37-year-old sustained in the defeat at his former club Manchester City last week.

It meant a rare start for Jamie Ashdown whose last league appearance was the 5-0 defeat by Birmingham in January 2006.

FA Cup finalists Pompey also rested Croatia midfielder Niko Kranjcar, only a substitute against unchanged Blackburn, but had the experienced Kanu back in attack alongside Jermain Defoe.

Rovers returned to Fratton Park – where they had a 2-1 revenge win in the Carling Cup in October – on the back of an impressive 1-1 draw with Manchester United last week and looking to close up on seventh-placed Pompey in the race for the UEFA Cup-qualifying fifth spot.

Portsmouth: Ashdown, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Lauren, Utaka, Diop, Diarra, Muntari, Defoe, Kanu.

Subs: Begovic, Aubey, Baros, Kranjcar, Davis.

Blackburn: Friedel, Emerton, Nelsen, Samba, Warnock, Bentley, Reid, Vogel, Pedersen, Santa Cruz, Roberts.

Subs: Brown, Ooijer, Kerimoglu, Dunn, Derbyshire.

Referee: Mike Riley (Yorkshire)