Injuries leave Pompey short

Portsmouth boss Avram Grant has just 13 fit first-team players going into his side’s Premier League clash with Blackburn at Fratton Park tomorrow.

Hermann Hreidarsson and Danny Webber have both been ruled out for six months after suffering Achilles and knee injuries respectively against Tottenham last Saturday.

Striker Quincy Owusu-Abeyie’s loan deal from Spartak Moscow has been cancelled, while Aruna Dindane’s future also remains in the balance amid speculation linking him with a move away from Fratton Park.

David James (calf), Kevin-Prince Boateng (ankle), Hassan Yebda (knee), Tal Ben-Haim (groin), Nadir Belhadj and Marc Wilson (both leg) are all injured.

Provisional squad: Ashdown, Mullins, Piquionne, Finnan, O’Hara, Brown, Diop, Kanu, Basinas, Vanden Borre, Mokoena, Rocha, Smith.