Portsmouth must cope without cup-tied stars

Portsmouth will be without cup-tied quartet Kevin-Prince Boateng, Jamie O’Hara, Mike Williamson and Tommy Smith for their Carling Cup fourth-round clash with Stoke tomorrow.

However midfielder Michael Brown returns from suspension after sitting out the Hull draw following a red card against Tottenham on October 17.

Hermann Hreidarsson is still recovering from a foot tendon injury, while Papa Bouba Diop and Richard Hughes have hamstring and hip troubles respectively.

Provisional squad: James, Kaboul, Mokoena, Mullins, Utaka, Kanu, Basinas, Belhadj, Vanden Borre, Piquionne, Ben-Haim, Yebda, Dindane, Finnan, Webber, Brown, Wilson, Ashdown.