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Portsmouth v Middlesbrough
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp is now fully concentrated on securing a top-six finish in the Barclays Premiership after they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United.

The battling 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford followed recent draws at Arsenal and Liverpool and Redknapp has demanded his team return to winning form at home to Middlesbrough in the Premiership.

The performance against United has lifted sagging morale after a shock 1-0 home defeat by struggling Charlton the previous week and Redknapp said: ``We have to get back on track at Fratton Park now.

``We want to finish in the top six this season and that is the ambition for the season. There is nothing more important for us.''

Goalkeeper David James, outstanding again at Old Trafford, believes Pompey's FA Cup exit has actually enhanced their chances of staying in the top six all the way through to May.

He said: ``The romance of the FA Cup lasted one round and 77 minutes (the time of United's first goal). Now for the reality.

``The thing with the cup is that you might as well get knocked out now and concentrate on the league rather than have a major distraction around March and April.

``You end up not knowing which one to go for and you can end up missing everything.

``We should take a lot of heart from our performance against United. Now we need to beat Middlesbrough again and look forward to trying to qualify for Europe. I genuinely think that is a realistic target for us now.''

Redknapp said: ``Going to Old Trafford and playing like we did should give us a lift and fill us with confidence. It has told us that if we can go to United and run them close, we have nothing to fear from anyone.''

Pompey, who beat Boro 4-0 at the Riverside in August, have never lost to the Teessiders in seven meetings since promotion to the Premiership in 2003.

But Redknapp warned: ``Middlesbrough is a massive game. They're bang in form. But it is at Fratton Park and we need a win.''

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate admits his side's improved form has stopped him from panic buying during the final days of the transfer window.

The 36-year-old has seen the Teessiders put together a run of six games without defeat, including three Barclays Premiership victories, to ease themselves clear of the relegation fight.

Boro head for Portsmouth looking up, rather than over their shoulders, just 24 hours before the January window closes, with their manager not expecting to add to his squad despite interest in Zoltan Gera and Jeremie Aliadiere.

Asked if he foresees any new arrivals, he replied: ``It is unlikely. Until it is finished you are never 100% certain, but I said all along I would only add if I felt it was the quality that would improve us and if I thought we were getting it at the right price.

``Unfortunately, because it is such a limited time, a lot of the prices do get inflated.

``But I am very comfortable with the squad I have got.

``It has been easier for us because our results have picked up and we have not been panicked into having to do something.

``We can be realistic about our aims and our goals and not make short-term decisions that we would be left with in coming years, or which might impact on what we want to do in the summer.''

There could, however, be further departures from the Riverside Stadium after those of Ray Parlour and Ugo Ehiogu last week.

Record signing Massimo Maccarone is talking to more than one Italian club, among them Siena, while Real Sociedad are one of a series of suitors to Gaizka Mendieta.

Southgate said: ``Massimo is in talks at the moment with a couple of clubs in Italy and something may happen over the next 24 to 48 hours. But there is nothing concrete as yet.

``With Mendieta, there are a couple of clubs he is having talks with and we will just have to see how that progresses over the next couple of days.''

In the meantime, Southgate will concentrate on the task of negotiating a tricky run of fixtures after Pompey - they face Arsenal at home and Chelsea away before their FA Cup fourth round replay against Bristol City, with West Brom awaiting the winners.

Boro will welcome captain George Boateng back from suspension but may have to do without striker Mark Viduka once again as he recovers from a hamstring strain.


Sheff Utd v Fulham
Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock accepts he will have to get used to the type of ``character assassination'' he believes he has suffered in recent days.

But Warnock is refusing to curb his passionate approach to management ahead of the Barclays Premiership visit of Fulham.

Warnock has been shocked by the treatment he has received in the wake of his touchline confrontation with Reading coach Wally Downes on January 20.

Downes was subsequently charged with improper conduct by the Football Association, while Warnock was personally cleared of any wrongdoing.

``Fortunately the FA deal in facts,'' Warnock said, before admitting his trial by media came as no surprise. ``I think I got a character assassination. I have to get used to that, the way I am, the way I'm passionate on the bench.

``I'm not going to change being passionate.''

He added with a smile: ``Possibly it'll make my book a bit better when it comes out in September.''

Warnock has demonstrated his own ruthless streak this month in a bid to ensure United survive their first season back in the top flight.

Out have gone promotion-winning heroes Steve Kabba, Paul Ifill and David Unsworth, replaced by the likes Jon Stead, Luton Shelton, Ahmed Fathi, Mamadou Seck and Matthew Kilgallon.

While Warnock is not planning any more signings after losing out to Blackburn in the race for namesake left-back Stephen Warnock, he revealed there may be more departures from Bramall Lane before the transfer window closes on Wednesday.

He said: ``We've released about five players. There's possibly a couple of others as well going before the end.

``When you lose seven players, you have to bring players in. What I've tried to do is bring in players in certain positions who are going to give me more options and make it a better squad.

``When you come up, it's only fair to give everybody a crack and then you have to make decisions. They've all helped get us where we are. I've thanked them all personally for helping us to be where we are.

``But it was time for most of them to move on.''

One man who will not be allowed to leave before the summer is Keith Gillespie, who has been offered improved terms after filing a transfer request.

``We've put an increased written offer to them,'' Warnock said of the winger and his agent. ``If they say `no', he stays with us until the end of the season and he's a Bosman and he's entitled to go where he wants - and good luck to him.''

Gillespie is suspended following his sending-off at Reading and joins captain Chris Morgan on the sidelines.

Warnock will make a late decision on whether to include brothers Alan and Stephen Quinn, who have been trying to cope with the tragic death of their sister's boyfriend, who was shot dead last week.

Both will fly home to Ireland after the match.

The game comes too soon for Luton Shelton (match fitness) but fellow new signing Ahmed Fathi could make his debut.

Mikele Leigertwood and Matthew Kilgallon (both ankle) are also sidelined, while fellow defender Claude Davis (knee) is doubtful.

Warnock is expecting a tough game against Chris Coleman's Fulham, a side he is eager for United to emulate.

``They've gone 10 games without defeat. Chris has done some good business in the transfer window,'' he said.

``They've got quality everywhere. They've just bought [Alexei] Smertin and [Vincenzo] Montella.

``Fulham are an established Premiership club and we've got to get there to bring these types of players in.''

Coleman has set his sights on a return to the top 10.

The Cottagers are looking to consolidate their position in the Premiership with 14 games of the season left.

Coleman said: ``The performances in the Premiership have been terrific in terms of energy and enthusiasm and that's all we can ask of any player who starts a game for Fulham.

``We're over halfway through the season and in a good position. Looking at the points tally we're very close to the top 10 and I'd have taken this position at the beginning of the season.

``We were three minutes away from going 10th against Tottenham and we know the situation can change very quickly.

``We've got 14 Premiership games left this season and we're going to need all our players and it's great that we've now got competition for places.''

Coleman has no fresh injury concerns ahead of their trip to Bramall Lane.

New signings Simon Davies and Smertin may well be included in the squad which is likely to be similar to the group involved in the 3-0 FA Cup win over Stoke at the weekend.


West Ham v Liverpool
Jonathan Spector insists there is no ``quick fix'' to the crisis at West Ham, despite their relegation battle reaching a critical stage.

The Hammers host Liverpool looking for their second Barclays Premiership win under Alan Curbishley, with just three points picked up since beating Manchester United in the first week of the new manager's reign.

The clash against Rafael Benitez's side offers a chance of getting out of the bottom three but could also see them slip five points adrift from safety, depending on how Wigan fare at Reading.

Curbishley has dipped into the transfer market to turn West Ham's season around but things have not gone to plan so far - Luis Boa Morte and Nigel Quashie have made a limited impact and Lucas Neill limped out of his debut at the weekend with an ankle injury.

Spector, a summer signing from United, believes the process of turning the season around cannot be completed overnight.

``There is no such thing as a quick fix,'' said the 21-year-old American. ``These things take time.

``It is understandable the fans are disappointed but we are just as disappointed in the changing room at how the results have gone, I can assure you.

``I am not here to make excuses. We do have players out with injuries which doesn't help anything.''

Curbishley's other January signing, Calum Davenport, is available again after being cup-tied for the weekend defeat to Watford in the FA Cup, with fans voicing their anger as last year's finalists crashed out in embarrassing fashion.

West Ham were just minutes away from beating Liverpool in the FA Cup final in May and little has gone right at Upton Park since Steven Gerrard's dramatic late equaliser in Cardiff.

In West Ham's favour this time, though, is how they raised their game earlier in the season against United and Arsenal, securing unlikely 1-0 wins in both matches at Upton Park.

The Hammers have only won on three other occasions in the Premiership this season and have squandered leads in their last two league games, against Fulham and Newcastle.

``There are no easy games in this league but we have beaten Manchester United and Arsenal so there is no reason why we can't beat Liverpool,'' added Spector.

``If any of us could put our finger on why we can beat the top teams and not sides like Fulham or Watford, we'd change it.

``If you look at the games we have lost, it has not been for a lack of effort.

``Every player is working hard to get a result. If we could put our finger on it I think we'd be able to turn it around a lot sooner.''

Reds boss Benitez knows he will be facing a club in turmoil, with only one league win under Curbishley and a serious injury crisis.

But the Spaniard, who could have Mohamed Sissoko and Bolo Zenden back in his squad, believes it will be a tough game, saying: ``West Ham players should be more motivated with a new manager.

``When a team changes a manager, they normally win the first game because everyone wants to impress, then the situation can return to what it was like before.

``We need to win the game before talking about the future and how far we are behind Chelsea. We know how important this game is and if we can beat Everton as well it will be six points and that could make a big difference.

``This stage of the season is very important for us. We have difficult games with Manchester United and Arsenal still to come here, but if we can win some games in a row now it will make us closer to the top as the season comes to an end.''


Reading v Wigan
Reading manager Steve Coppell insists his side need to beat Wigan in order to stay clear of the relegation battle.

Despite a wonderful season so far, in which the Royals have managed to amass 34 points, Coppell is still looking over his shoulder.

In the Premiership's first ever season back in 1993, Coppell was in charge of Crystal Palace and saw his side drop out of the top flight despite reaching an impressive 49-point total.

And he admits the memory of that campaign keeps him on his toes and stops him looking upwards toward a place in Europe.

Coppell said: ``I think back to my days at Crystal Palace and one season we had 49 points but still got relegated. That goes to show that you just never know. We just need to finish with as many points as possible this season.

``Wigan are a club we can look at and admire. But I don't go along with the second season being the toughest. The first season is the hardest, then the second season, then the third. Every season has different challenges.''

Reading are currently eighth in the Premiership, while their visitors to the Madejski Stadium lie 17th.

Coppell's side are in good form following five matches without defeat and the Royals manager has pointed to Leroy Lita as their man of the moment.

Lita has scored six goals in his last seven matches, and Coppell said: ``You have to remember that about 18 months ago he was playing two divisions lower than this.

``Leroy has consistently scored goals and that is the sign of good progress. He is a real goalscorer.''

Meanwhile, defender Sam Sodje has warned Wigan not to try and bully Reading.

Sodje made his debut at the JJB Stadium back in August as Reading were beaten 1-0.

He is in contention to play in the centre of defence and insists his side are ready for battle.

Sodje said: ``We have a bit more quality than Wigan and if they try to fight and bully us then we will stand up to it.

``They have lost eight in a row and when that happens you fight for your lives. We are up for it though and we are not getting complacent about our league position.''

Caleb Folan is hoping to emulate the feat of Jon Stead and score the goals that will keep Wigan in the Premiership.

Three years ago Stead was a League Two player with Huddersfield when he surprisingly joined a Blackburn side struggling at the time for #1.25 million.

It proved to be money well spent by then manager Graeme Souness as Stead scored six goals in 13 games - five of which were winners - to keep Rovers in the top flight.

Folan might not be as prolific as Stead was then, but he is certainly enjoying his best season, prompting boss Paul Jewell to pay League One Chesterfield a potential bargain #500,000.

Folan is hoping he can provide a similar kind of spark to Stead, starting at Reading, as Wigan look to end a losing league run of seven matches which equals the club record.

``I remember Jon from quite a young age. I played against him a lot,'' said Folan, who started out as a trainee at Leeds. ``I watched him move on and progress and in a way, I feel I can do the same. Hopefully, I can prove myself at the highest level.

``When he joined Blackburn, he showed just what can be done. So if given the opportunity to play, I'll be approaching every game positively. I've always had belief in myself. I've come through good times and bad times, both in my career and life.

``I've learned to cope with the lows as well as the highs, so I've 100% belief in myself. I like to put myself about - use my pace and power - and hopefully, I will get quite a few goals.''

Folan goes into the squad to face Reading, but Jewell is without five injured players in David Cotterill, Fitz Hall, Henri Camara, Arjan de Zeeuw and Paul Scharner.

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