Portsmouth	0 - 0	Man City
Booked Distin 71	Half Time ( 0 - 0 )	Booked Garrido 90

Two of the season’s dark horses played out a goalless draw at Fratton Park to keep them both within the top six of the Premiership. But it was Pompey who were the better side overall and had enough goal attempts to win the game.

Portsmouth started the game the better team and City goalkeeper Joe Hart was kept busy as the hosts pushed forward looking for a decisive breakthrough to inflict only the visitor’s fourth defeat of the season.

And Hart’s performance was enough throughout the game to win the visitors a point as Manchester City were overrun by Pompey who should’ve sealed the victory before the final whistle blew. The hosts were also denied a penalty when Richard Dunne held back Kanu in the area and the referee waved play on.

In the opening minutes, Benjani missed a good chance when he headed over from Johnson’s cross. Then the Zimbabwean played in Kanu and the Nigerian’s shot was turned away for a corner by Hart. And Sean Davies also saw his shot go whizzing over the bar.

Davies was also called into action at the back as City had their chance going forward. The Pompey man had to block a goal-bound shot from Gelson Fernandes in a rare attack before the hosts took control up front again, with Kranjcar hitting just too high.

David James smothered Martin Petrov’s cross, but it was Joe Hart at the other end who was again the busier keeper as he kept out Johnson’s low effort. He was then forced into an excellent save when he tipped Glen Johnson’s shot on to the bar after some good work by the Pompey man.

Vassell was caught offside at the other end before Hart turned a Kranjcar drive beyond a post and Petrov wasted a good opportunity when he hit an effort straight at David James as the Pompey keeper wasn’t tested enough in goal.

Portsmouth made two substitutes in the second-half and both had good chances to break the deadlock. Matt Taylor missed the target with a header and David Nugent would’ve seen justice served had his shot not been deflected against the post.

Meanwhile, City should’ve taken the lead when striker Darius Vassell was thwarted by a superb tackle by Sylvain Distin after connecting with Martin Petrov’s cross. But it was really Portsmouth’s night and the hosts were clearly the better side.

They were kept at bay by a late double save from Hart as he denied first Johnson and then Benjani as the hosts had enough chances to win the game comfortably, even after the disappointing first-half performance from John Utaka.

Portsmouth missed the chance to move into the top four and stay in sixth place behind Liverpool after Blackburn lost at Old Trafford to keep them behind the south coast side. It was a strong performance by Harry Redknapp’s side and they can consider themselves unlucky to have won all three points.

The point keeps Manchester City in third place above Chelsea after the Blues could only draw at home to Everton. It was another hard-won draw by Sven’s side who have taken the Premier League by storm this season and look to be true contenders to their Manchester rivals.


Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Pamarot, Utaka (Taylor 46), Davis, Muntari, Kranjcar, Kanu (Nugent 63), Mwaruwari.

Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Pedro Mendes, Hreidarsson.

Man City: Hart, Corluka, Richards, Dunne, Garrido, Ireland, Hamann, Gelson, Petrov, Elano (Geovanni 90), Vassell (Bianchi 89).

Subs Not Used: Isaksson, Ball, Samaras.

Att: 19,529

Ref: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).

By Ben Hughes