Arsenal are almost certain to be without Patrick Vieira for the Champions League clash with Panathinaikos on Wednesday, after the Gunners skipper limped out of the weekend victory over Aston Villa with a twisted ankle following a collision with Jlloyd Samuel.
Despite the importance of the game in Athens, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will not put the influential Frenchman at risk of further damage, especially with their '50 not out' visit to Old Trafford coming up on Sunday.
"I think there's an 80 per cent chance of losing Vieira, the way I've seen him limping," admitted the Arsenal chief, whose midfield options could be limited with Gilberto Silva still out and Dennis Bergkamp grounded for the trip to Greece.
Wenger reckons his trio of French superstars are being burdened by the demands of the national side following the retirement of Zinedine Zidane. "France has been spoilt by the results of the national team for a long time and now nobody accepts that many great players have retired. There is now more pressure on Vieira, Henry and Pires than anybody else."
Steven Gerrard could be back in club action within three weeks as he continues to recover well, and ahead of schedule, from the broken bone in his foot he suffered against Manchester United last month.
The Liverpool skipper was initially expected to be out for at least two months, but Reds boss Rafael Benitez says: "Perhaps he's now three weeks away. The injury needed time but when both Gerrard and Antonio Nunez return it will be like having two new signings. I have talked to Steve and he is now ahead of schedule."
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp admits he doesn't know what his first choice strike pairing is, but he hopes the two who get the nod against Spurs tonight will make up his mind - for the next few games at least.
Redknapp will choose between last season's top scorer Aiyegbeni Yakubu, Lomana LuaLua, Ricardo Fuller and record signing Diomansy Kamara and he's challenged the selected pairing to seize the opportunity.
He said: "All of the forwards have a lot to offer - they are all good players. It's a difficult one but I don't think I can truthfully say I want to give them all spells of playing.
"I'd like to see two of them get on a run and if we keep winning I'd stick with that pairing. At the moment it's hard to tell who the first choice pairing is."
Spurs, meanwhile, are looking to build on an impressive if not spectacular start to the season by chalking up their third away win of the campaign, having come away from Everton and Newcastle with valuable 1-0 wins.
Victory at Fratton Park this evening would lift Jacques Santini's side to fourth in the Premiership and coach Chris Hughton reckons the team is going into their latest away fixture with more confidence than they have in previous seasons.
Notorious strugglers on the road, Spurs are certainly a more resolute outfit under Santini and Hughton says: "If I look at our away record over the past few seasons, which hasn't been that good, then there was always that little more fear going away from home. But I would expect us at this present moment to go into the game far more confident."
Former West Ham midfielder Michael Carrick is set to make his Tottenham debut, after an injury plagued start to his Spurs career, and faces the manager who launched his career. Former Hammers' favourites Jermain Defoe and Freddie Kanoute also line-up.
