Avram Grant will take charge of Portsmouth for the first time at Fratton Park on Saturday after being named Paul Hart’s successor.

The former Chelsea boss will assume control of team affairs after initially returning to the club as director of football last month.

Hart managed to win just two Premier League games this season before being relieved of his post earlier in the week by the Pompey hierarchy.

Marooned at the bottom of the table, Portsmouth are 13/8 with totesport.com to avoid relegation by the end of the campaign but Grant’s task starts with the daunting home game against champions Manchester United on Saturday afternoon (Pompey 13/2 to win in 90 Minute Match Betting).

Grant’s first and last games in charge of Chelsea both came against the Red Devils.

Fratton Park chief executive officer Peter Storrie said: “Avram is a very experienced and respected manager who has managed at the highest level.

“The board believes he is the man to help steer the club out of the relegation zone.

“He knows the club, the players and the set-up at Fratton Park, so it was the logical move to make him the next manager, once the board had decided to relieve Paul Hart of the role.

“He will take charge of training on Friday alongside first-team coaches Paul Groves and Ian Woan.”

Pompey are bottom of the Premier League having collected just seven points from 13 games.

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