Portsmouth boss set to recommence hostilities with old foe as former Leeds United, Peterborough United and Rotherham United manager arrives at Fratton Park

The high-flying League Two side stand between Danny Cowley’s men and a place in the last eight of the Papa John’s Trophy.

No matter what happens on the pitch things are likely to be lively off it, as Steve Evans arrives with his side who have lost just one of their past 12 league fixtures.

Tempers flared the last time the two bosses faced off, when Pompey went to Gillingham in November of last year.

Evans launched into a furious post-match blast aimed at Cowley, after Michael Jacobs grabbed a stoppage-time winner in his team’s 1-0 success.

Cowley was booked for his exuberant celebrations in the wake of that finish, following 90 minutes of touchline histrionics from the Scot and his assistant Paul Raynor.

The two benches refused to shake hands after the full-time whistle with Raynor launching into a foul-mouthed tirade when approached by Nicky Cowley.

After the game Evans accused Pompey of ‘World Cup’ celebrations which he branded ‘disrespectful’.

Evans said at the time: ‘The celebrations on the bench resembled World Cup stuff, a bit disrespectful really, it doesn’t matter when you win, you should never be disrespectful, but we will take the pain and we will go again.

‘I said pre-match that Portsmouth had got their Christmas with the lack of options we have had and they have got their Christmas early getting three points. It doesn’t matter what they do in the rest of December, they have had their Christmas.

‘It is a hard one to take because of the manner of it, if they come and outplay us, a lot of people were talking and no more than Cowley himself that they felt if they got an early goal what they could do with us. Yeah, man on the moon.

‘They deserved to get beat. We will listen to the nonsense from him and the superstars, their nonsense, but if they are honest, which they never are, they will say they deserved to get beat.

‘It’s a fantastic football club and fantastic supporters. Good luck to them, they will enjoy their win, they will be singing and dancing but they aren’t silly either.

‘I give nothing but total praise and credit to my players and you have to give credit to the Portsmouth players because they never stopped, they kept going and got the goal and that is what you do when you try and grind results out.

‘The one thing about the Portsmouth fans is that they are not delusional. They will know they should have lost the game but I have been there and you take that three points.’

So those braving the cold tomorrow will do well to keep an eye on the two sides’ technical areas - the temperatures may be plummeting but things could quickly warm up there…