Portsmouth v Hull City preview
Pompey out to ruin Dowie's bow as Tigers boss
Portsmouth host Hull City in a relegation six-pointer which could go a long way to determining their fate.
Pompey enter the contest fresh from a nine-point deduction which looks set to doom them to the drop.
They are now 17 points adrift of safety and have a mountain to climb if they are to pull off the most miraculous of escape acts.
While off-field troubles have dominated the headlines at Fratton Park this season, results on the pitch have been equally as disappointing.
They have won only one of their last 11 top-flight fixtures and were hammered 4-1 by Liverpool last time out.
On a more positive note, Pompey are unbeaten in their last eight league games against Hull.
However, all three Premier League meetings between the two sides have ended all square, with the last two fixtures finishing goalless.
Hull, though, head to the South Coast in the midst of a woeful run of form which has seen them slip to second from bottom in the table.
They have suffered four consecutive defeats and were reduced to 10 men in three of those fixtures.
Such a run put paid to Phil Brown's tenure at the KC Stadium earlier this week and Iain Dowie will take charge of the Tigers for the first time on Saturday.
He faces an uphill task to see Hull to safety, with the ailing outfit having won only one of their last 29 Premier League away games.
They have won none of their last 20, scoring only 10 goals and keeping just one clean sheet during that dismal run.
Team news
Portsmouth will again check on the fitness of England goalkeeper David James (calf) ahead of the crunch clash.
Kevin-Prince Boateng (ankle), Hassan Yebda (knee) and John Utaka (groin) also face fitness tests. Right-back Anthony Vanden Borre has resumed training as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
Manager Avram Grant has, however, hinted that he could make wholesale changes to his side after being left frustrated by the Premier League's decision to dock the club points for entering administration.
Dowie will make his first team selection as Hull manager and must decide whether to shuffle his pack.
George Boateng is suspended after being sent off in last weekend's 2-1 defeat by Arsenal and Anthony Gardner (ankle) is still ruled out, but Stephen Hunt may be available following a foot injury.
Kamil Zayatte is set to be sidelined after being carried off against Arsenal but Paul McShane could return after missing the game against the Gunners following a family bereavement.
Possible starting XIs
Portsmouth: James, Finnan, Hreidarsson, Rocha, Belhadj, Webber, Wilson, Brown, O'Hara, Dindane, Piquionne.
Hull City: Myhill, McShane, Mouyokolo, Dawson, Kilbane, Fagan, Bullard, Marney, Hunt, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Zaki.
Portsmouth v Hull Correct Score: Draw 1-1 6/1
Nonostante l'x che pronosticano, prendo l'Hull in dnb@2.30
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