Blackpool v Portsmouth preview

Team news for Saturday afternoon's Championship clash between Blackpool and Portsmouth at Bloomfield Road (5:20pm).

Keith Southern remains Blackpool's only injury absentee.

Southern suffered a badly gashed ankle in the 1-1 FA Cup fourth-round draw with Sheffield Wednesday at Bloomfield Road a fortnight ago.

The midfielder is set to have stitches removed from the wound over the coming days, but the clash with Pompey and Tuesday night's trip to Doncaster are expected to come too soon for him.

Roman Bednar was ineligible as Wednesday were beaten 3-0 in a replay this week because his loan move from West Brom was completed after the initial tie, but the Czech striker returns to contention for boss Ian Holloway.

Indeed, Holloway boasts a wide array of options in attack and must decide whether to retain Wigan loanee Nouha Dicko, who made his full debut in the win at Cardiff last weekend, or recall Lomana LuaLua to league action following his excellent strike in the Hillsborough triumph.

Portsmouth have a host of injury worries.

Defender Tal Ben Haim is the latest addition to the casualty list after suffering a hamstring injury against Birmingham in midweek.

Ben Haim will have a late fitness check along with forwards Benjani and Dave Kitson, who are also carrying hamstring strains but were able to come on as substitutes at St Andrew's.

Young defender Adam Webster will also be patched up after having an injection in a toe injury.

Midfielder David Norris has completed a three-match ban but has not recovered from the hernia operation he underwent during his enforced break, and striker Luke Varney remains on the sidelines with a knee ligament problem.