Portsmouth and Burnley prepare for six-pointer

Avram Grant had already conceded it would take an extraordinary turnaround to salvage Portsmouth's season before it emerged some players are still waiting to receive their November wages.

Grant, who is still working under the title of director of football until his new work permit is approved, has shown no regrets at accepting the offer to succeed Paul Hart.

"I knew what I was coming into," he said. "I knew that I was coming to a team in a very bad situation, at the bottom of the league with not easy fixtures - especially in December.

"I could have said 'no' and not taken the job. The challenge is big and even if some people think that the chances are very low of avoiding relegation, I think it is possible.

"I really believe that we can do it, even though it will be very, very difficult. But I knew that from the first moment that I took the job."

If Grant's side, currently seven points adrift of safety, are to become genuine survival candidates, three points against visitors such as Burnley are a must.

Had Grant's side made more of a string of first half chances against Manchester United last weekend, they could have surprised the champions. The reality, however, was they didn't capitalise on those opportunities - and that has been the story of their season.

Grant rested a number of senior players for the Aston Villa midweek game in the Carling Cup and will restore Aruna Dindane and Frederic Piquionne to the attack while keeper David James faces a late fitness test on a calf injury. Full back Steve Finnan has a slim chance of returning after a groin problem.

Burnley manager Owen Coyle, meanwhile, is confident his side's poor away form will eventually change. In stunning contrast to their results at Turf Moor, Burnley have yet to win on the road in seven matches away from Turf Moor and their inability to defend has been their downfall. They have already conceded an astonishing 25 goals on their travels but Coyle insists that playing positive football is the only solution to their concerns.

"The players we have at this football club have been brought here because they are football players and that's what we will continue to do," he said. "We will continue to try and win matches at home and away. It suits the players I have and certainly suits the way I want to play. I want to play and I we will win games and it will be sooner rather than later.

Burnley need a clean sheet against Portsmouth like never before. A win against the Premier League's bottom club would do even more to stabilise the Lancashire side's impressive start to life in England's top flight but it all has to start at the back and they must simply stop conceding if they are not going to throw away all the hard work they are building up at home.

Clarke Carlisle, Tyrone Mears and Andre Bikey need huge games at Fratton Park to stop Portsmouth and give Coyle's men a base to work from going forward. Robbie Blake will need to be his typically mischievous self in and around the box while Coyle will also be hoping Chris Eagles can build on his brilliant performance at Upton Park last Saturday.

Burnley will be without skipper Steven Caldwell after his late dismissal against West Ham United last weekend but apart from that they have no new injury concerns, with Chris McCann, Jay Rodriguez and Martin Paterson still their only doubts.

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