CITY: Hart, Richards, Zabaleta, Dunne, Kompany, Garrido, Ireland, Wright-Phillips, Robinho, Elano, Jo. Subs: Schmeichel, Ben Haim, Ball, Fernandes, Hamann, Evans, Sturridge.
POMPEY: James, Distin, Kaboul, Campbell, Johnson, Davis, Diarra, Belhadj, Traore, Crouch, Defoe. Subs: Ashdown, Hreidarsson, Pamarot, Mvuemba, Utaka, Bouba Diop, Kanu.

Harry Redknapp made just one change from the side that beat Vitoria in midweek as Younes Kaboul came back into the starting line-up at the expense of John Utaka.
But it made for a formation change with Kaboul slotting into a three-man defence alongside Sol Campbell and Sylvain Distin.
With both Nadir Belhadj and Armand Traore selected, it meant one of those natural wide players tucking inside to make a central trio with Glen Johnson patrolling the right flank.
The 3-5-2 system worked a treat in Pompey's last away trip and Redknapp was presumably eager to blunt City's attacking prowess with Robinho, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Elano and Jo all included for the home side.

00 - Kick-off.

03 - Swift break from City ends with some good link-up play and a smart shot from Robinho, but James makes a good low save to turn it away.

08 - Wright-Phillips has already shown he's a threat with some intelligent running, but Pompey have stood firm so far.

11 - Sloppy pass from Lassana Diarra in the centre circle allows City to break quickly, but David James makes a fine stop from Wright-Phillips to tip over.

13 - GOAL - CITY 1 POMPEY 0. Jo opens the scoring for City as the Pompey defence is caught square. Robinho slides in his Brazilian compatriot and Jo nicks it past James before slotting it into an empty net.

19 - First threat at the City goal from Pompey as Crouch heads over from a corner

20 - GOAL - CITY 2 POMPEY 0. Pompey concede an absolute shocker of a goal from a corner as Richard Dunne pokes home from close range. Elano's corner somehow finds its way to James' near post and with the keeper scrambling across to get a hand on it, Dunne slides in to tap in. Frankly, the defending there would have embarrassed a Sunday pub side.

28 - Pompey should have been back in the hunt there as Crouch fires wide when he should have scored. Great work from Johnson down the right picks out the Pompey striker, but his effort grazes the upright with Hart well beaten.

34 - This is not going well at all. Sean Davis if forced off with a groin problem and Papa Bouba Diop is on to replace him. Pompey seem totally off the pace - just as they were in the same fixture last season.

42 - Pompey all over the place at the back once again with James forced into last-ditch action to deny Robinho's tricky footwork.

44 - Campbell sees his header cleared off the line by Pablo Zabaleta after Crouch wins a header at the far post from Diarra's free-kick. If he'd got more purchase on that, it could have been a foothold back into the game.

45 - Half time. City 2 Pompey 0.
Dire stuff from Pompey for the first half an hour, but they started to show some stomach for the fight in the last 15 minutes. A few harsh words in the dressing room, I'd imagine.

46 - John Utaka is on for Younes Kaboul. The former Spurs man did not cover himself in glory in that half, but it looks like Pompey have gone back to 4-4-2 for the second half and they look far more balanced already as Defoe sprints clear but slices his effort wide.

53 - Utaka shows what he's about as he races away on a counter-attack from a Pompey corner. The Nigerian sprints down the right, feeds in Traore, but Stephen Ireland makes a terrific last-ditch tackle to deny the Frenchman a shot at goal.

57 - GOAL - CITY 3 POMPEY 0. Robinho tucks home with aplomb as Pompey are caught with a sucker punch on the break. Sylvain Distin is left all alone in attempting to thwart both Jo and Robinho and there's only one outcome. That looks like game over unless Pompey can get one back quickly.

68 - GOAL - CITY 4 POMPEY 0. Ireland slides a beautiful pass for Wright-Phillips to latch on to and he hammers it inside James' near post. Game, set and match. If only we could start heading back now...

72 - Sub for City as Ched Evans comes on for Jo. The Pompey fans are still enjoying themselves and a few of them started a conga a few minutes ago.

78 - GOAL - CITY 5 POMPEY 0. It's humiliating for Pompey now as Evans tucks home from close range after more great work from Wright-Phillips. If this was a boxing match, Pompey would be knocked out and being carried off on a stretcher at the moment.

82 - Noe Pamarot is on for Glen Johnson. I think Pompey are praying for the final whistle now.

83 - GOAL - CITY 6 POMPEY 0. Substitute Gelson Fernandes nips in to rub salt in the wounds as James fails to deal with a cross from the left under pressure frmo Wright-Phillips. Nadir Belhadj is stood motionless as the sub tucks it in.

86 - Sub for City as Daniel Sturridge replaces Robinho.

90 - Diarra is in the book for hacking down Wright-Phillips.

90 - FULL TIME.


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