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Clarets’ assistant boss Sam Ellis was able to report today that all 18 players who travelled to Leicester and Ipswich are all fit and Alan Moore is also back in training.
The two players making up the squad who did not make the bench were presumably from Andy Payton, Gordon Armstrong and Mark McGregor and it is likely they will miss out again with Stan expected to stick with the same starting eleven and subs as the last two away games.
The only change expected is the return of Stan himself after a ban and illness prevented him being on the bench in the last three games.
If he does stay with the same starting eleven then we will line up: Marlon Beresford, Dean West, Ian Cox, Arthur Gnohere, Graham Branch, Glen Little, Steve Davis, Lee Briscoe, Ian Moore, Gareth Taylor, Robbie Blake.
The subs for the last two games have been: Paul Cook, Tony Grant, Paul Weller, Brad Maylett and Dimitri Papadopoulos.
Portsmouth will include new loan signing Steve Stone in their squad but whether the Villa man will start is as yet unknown. Our visitors are without eight players through injury but it is hardly noticeable with their big squad. Those out are Hayden Fox, Jason Crowe, Eddie Howe, Neil Barrett, Courtney Pitt, Jamie Vincent, Lee Bradbury and Rory Allen. How many of these players would have made the starting eleven though isn’t certain but it is possible that only Fox would be included.
The Portsmouth team last week was: Shaka Hislop, Arjan de Zeeuw, Matthew Taylor, Linvoy Primus, Gianluca Festa, Lassina Diabate, Gary O’Neil, Nigel Quashie, Sletoslav Todorov, Paul Merson, Vincent Pericard. Subs: Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, Kevin Harper, Paul Ritchie, Carl Robinson, Mark Burchill.
Stone will be added to that squad but suggestions are that the starting line up will remain unchanged and the new man will have to settle for a place on the bench, probably at the expense of Harper.
For more on Portsmouth, a look back at previous games and a former player of both clubs check out our Match Preview