Team News
It looks like Avram Grant will stick with the team that deservedly beat Liverpool last week as David James is likely to miss out once again.
Gianfranco Zola has a whole host of injury problems, with striker Guillermo Franco being injured in training meaning that Allessandro Diamanti is the only recognisable forward available to him.
Danny Gabbidon was injured in the Hammers' 1-1 draw with Chelsea so youngster James Tomkins will play alongside Matthew Upson at the centre of West Ham's defence.
The Match
In the latest game to be dubbed the biggest of Pompey's season so far, the match at Upton Park is a massive opportunity to not just get off the bottom of the Premier League, but possibly out of the bottom three too.
If Pompey can claim a win at one of their happiest hunting grounds and Bolton fail to win at Burnley then Pompey will climb out of the relegation zone for the first time this season, albeit briefly.
I didn't expect West Ham to be struggling as badly as us after an impressive debut managerial campaign for Gianfranco Zola but I suppose a record of no clean sheets in 15 games and only two goals (both from Diamanti) scored in 385 minutes of football (over four games) will give clues as to why West Ham are struggling.
Carlton Cole has been missing for a long time and it has showed, whilst the defence continues to leak plenty of goals due to two less-than-average full backs in Ilunga and Faubert. If Belhadj can reproduce his performance of last week, he should have a field day against these two.
The game is going to be won or lost in the midfield, though. Michael Brown and Hassan Yebda must work hard to stop Scott Parker dictating the game in the home side's favour, which would allow Boateng and O'Hara an influence on the game.
Frederic Piquionne has also performed admirably in his last two games for Pompey, so I expect him to cause plenty of problems if he has the support from the midfield.
I expect this to be a scrappy affair, but I fancy our chances to get a result that would really mean a Merry Christmas for all Pompey fans.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups
West Ham
GK: Robert GREEN
RB: Julien FAUBERT
CB: Matthew UPSON
CB: James TOMKINS
LB: Herita ILUNGA
RM: Jack COLLISON
CM: Scott PARKER
CM: Radoslav KOVAC
CM: Mark NOBLE
LM: Alessandro DIAMANTI
CF: Frank NOUBLE
Pompey
GK: Asmir BEGOVIC
RB: Steve FINNAN
CB: Younes KABOUL
CB: Tal BEN-HAIM
LB: Hermann HREIDARSSON
RM: Hassan YEBDA
CM: Michael BROWN
CM: Kevin-Prince BOATENG
CM: Jamie O'HARA
LM: Nadir BELHADJ
CF: Frederic PIQUIONNE
Last Time: West Ham United 0 Portsmouth 0
Jermain Defoe was denied a hat-trick of goals thanks to Robert Green as Pompey failed to win at Upton Park for the first time since West Ham's promotion to the Premier League.
Pundit Watch
Lawro: Draw (1-1)
Sky Sports: Away Win (0-3)
My Prediction: After the win against Liverpool, I believe we can win this game if our defence stay solid when the ball comes in our penalty box. We have enough in midfield and up front to trouble the Irons' defence, it's just a case of taking our chances.
West Ham United 1 Portsmouth 2