Kranjcar doubt for Pompey

Niko Kranjcar is a major doubt for Portsmouth’s home clash with Manchester United on Monday 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.

Team (from): James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Utaka, Diop, Diarra, Kranjcar, Little, Defoe, Crouch, Kaboul, Thomas, A Traore, Sahar, Lauren, Mvuemba, Davis, Hughes, Ashdown.