Injury worries mean it's a good time for Bristol City to play Pompey

ON THE face of it, City could hardly have picked a better time to play the FA Cup holders.

Not only are Portsmouth beset by injury worries, they also appear to have problems off the pitch with owner Sacha Gaydamak rumoured to be keen to sell the club.

And that has sparked fears of a mass clear-out during the January transfer window and a subsequent fight against relegation.

Lassana Diarra has already gone to Real Madrid, while Jermain Defoe is interesting Spurs, with Aston Villa and Manchester City in the race, too.

Meanwhile, Glen Johnson has been linked with Liverpool and Peter Crouch with a return to Villa Park, while Niko Kranjcar remains a highly-bankable asset.

Pompey midfielder Sean Davis responded to the opening of the transfer window by appealing for calm.

He said: "If the club sell our best players it will be unfortunate, but we have to get on with it.

"Then again, if they keep the big players, it will be a sign that the club wants to go places."

He added: "It might be frustrating for the fans, but no player is bigger than the club and Portsmouth will always be here."

Pompey boss Tony Adams is determined to strengthen his squad and he completed the permanent signing of Algerian international left-back Nadir Belhadj this week.

The 26-year-old has been a huge hit at Fratton Park since arriving on loan and Pompey are believed to have seen off Barcelona to sign him.

But Adams has plenty of problems to occupy his mind as he and his players prepare to defend the trophy they won when beating Cardiff City 1-0 at Wembley last May.

Pompey's injury worries are stacking up after two more key players joined a mounting casualty list in the wake of Sunday's Barclays Premier League defeat at the hands of Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Johnson, John Utaka and Papa Bouba Diop all featured in the victory over Cardiff, but will be missing against City through injury.

Richard Hughes, who did not play in the final, is also ruled out and he joins Younes Kaboul, Jerome Thomas and Djimi Traore on the treatment table.

All of which leaves Adams' squad close to breaking point, particularly in midfield. Given Diarra's departure to Spain, Pompey are short in that department, Davis and Arnold Mveumba representing their only recognised fit central midfielders.