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Sears will Dampen FA Cup Finalists Portsmouth Spirits

Apr 7, 2008 West Ham News

By Rooster

The Hammers heavy injury list is now showing some improvement as West Ham get ready to take on FA Cup finalists Portsmouth at The Boleyn Ground on Tuesday night.

Freddie Sears, Bobby Zamora, George McCartney and John Pantsil could all figure against Pompey as could Matthew Upson who has not featured in the first team for over a month.

Sears (groin) and Zamora (foot) missed the defeat at Sunderland but both have been training this week and are due to return, while McCartney (hamstring) and Pantsil (concussion), who both came off during the match, have also been able to train.

Upson has not played since suffering a calf strain at Liverpool on March 5, but Freddie Ljungberg’s hamstring injury will keep him sidelined until at least next week.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp will drop Kanu to the substitute’s bench after the Nigerian striker’s goal on Saturday helped Pompey reach next month’s FA Cup Final.

The former West Brom striker knocked the Baggies out of the competition at the semi-final stage when he scored the only goal of the game from close range early in the second half.

Jermain Defoe will not play because of a death in the family, he will be at the funeral in the Caribbean.

The ex-Hammers boss has said that he has been concentrating on the FA Cup rather than the Premier League ever since last month’s shock quarter-final victory at Manchester United and he is expected to ring the changes for the trip to Upton Park.

Papa Boupa Diop should keep his place ahead of John Utaka as the midfielder is struggling to recover from a hamstring injury, while defender Hermann Hreidarsson looks set to miss out because of an Achilles problem so Lauren could come in for him.

Long-term injury victims Linvoy Primus (knee) and Noe Pamarot (Achilles) remain sidelined.

Last season at Upton Park, Pompey won 2-1 on Boxing Day thanks to Primus’ brace while Teddy Sheringham grabbed the Hammers’ consolation goal.

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Tags: FA Cup, freddie sears, Portsmouth, upton park, West Ham News