Manchester United got off to an iffy Premier League start drawing 1-1 at home to Newcastle and they may well struggle to bag three points as Sir Alex Ferguson takes his team to Portsmouth on Monday night.

Shorn of Cristiano Ronaldo the Red Devils looked a pale shadow of the side that stormed to the title last season and the Portuguese star continues to be absent from the squad as he recovers from injury.

Carlos Tevez returns to provide striking support to Wayne Rooney but that might not be enough to get the better of Harry Redknapp´s boys.

That´s because Pompey have a great Fratton Park record against the Red Devils.

In their south coast fortress they have won three of their five Premier League games against United losing only once.

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As ever Redknapp has made some shrewd signings over the summer and we expect Peter Crouch to form a dangerous partnership with Jermain Defoe. But it is in midfield that we expect Pompey to gain the upper hand on Monday.

Brilliant French midfielder Lassana Diarra will definitely start after recovering from a knock against Chelsea and with Michael Carrick out for United he should dominate against the likes of John O´Shea and Darren Fletcher.

That dominance in the centre of the park should be enough to ensure Pompey bag a point – which is available with totesport´s online betting at 12/5.

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