Jaymes Monte / 29 January 2010 Free Bet View Market

"I’m usually a subscriber to the idea that you should be looking for both teams to score if you’re thinking of backing over 2.5 goals. Whilst Pompey’s paltry five away goals this season don’t exactly fit that bill, the way City and particularly Carlos Tevez have been playing of late I’m comfortable in relying on them to rack up the requisite three or more in order to collect at [1.80]."

Well, where do we begin with this one? Things just go from bad to worse at Fratton Park and there appears to be no end in sight for Pompey's woes. This week the proposed sale of Younes Kaboul and Asmir Begovic to Tottenham prompted chief executive Peter Storrie and manager Avram Grant to question their positions within the club, the official club website was temporarily shut down on Thursday due to payment problems and there is a realistic prospect of staff (including the players) not being paid on time for a fourth consecutive month. And if that wasn't enough they are also due to pay a round of transfer fee instalments this weekend, which if aren't paid could see the transfer embargo that was only recently lifted reinstated.

A huge amount of credit has to be given to the players for continuing to put in adequate levels of performance in order to keep them remotely in touch with survival, but they now have a run of three fixtures - Man City (away), Fulham (away) and Man United (away) - which could see them cast firmly adrift. And if that happens then Pompey fans will not only have relegation to fear, but also the harsh probability of no longer having a club to support.

On the same day that the Portsmouth hierarchy were undermining their manager and selling players without his knowing, City were shipping out their nuisance of a British record signing Robinho on loan. That is a prime example of the stark contrast which lends itself to these two clubs who are at completely contrasting ends of the financial stratosphere. Roberto Mancini will be hoping that those contrasts don't end when the players take to the Eastlands pitch on Sunday.

Mancini's biggest task this week will have been restoring buoyancy in the camp following that confidence sapping defeat at Old Trafford, a win here would be the perfect tonic. He has the luxury of being able call upon the services of Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure and Wayne Bridge once again but Patrick Viera remains unable to make his debut due to an ankle injury. Grant is hoping to receive international clearance which would allow Quincy Owusu-Abeye to make his debut whilst Jamie O'Hara has also rejoined on loan from Spurs.

City are unbeaten in their last 13 home league matches so it is no surprise to see them as short as [1.33] in the match odds, I'm always wary of the idea of buying money but this could be as clear a cut case as your likely to find this weekend. I'm also usually a subscriber to the idea that you should be looking for both teams to score if you're thinking of backing over 2.5 goals. Whilst Pompey's paltry five away goals this season don't exactly fit that bill, the way City and particularly Carlos Tevez have been playing of late I'm comfortable in relying on them to rack up the requisite three or more in order to collect at [1.80].

Talking of Mr Tevez, the guy just can't stop scoring at present and even at the short odds of [2.0] to score at anytime in the game it is a price I would rather be backing than laying.

Pompey will be happy to have a game of football to distract them from their off-field turmoil but it will only be a brief distraction. These two clubs may be in the same division but they are in a different league on so many levels.