You know I like match day more than any in the week and the wife knows the football is also extremely important so despite what happened earlier this week, I've got a pass for today and while I'd rather be sitting on the couch with my girl, it's football and it wins, just for today.

We play Pompey in a match that has win written all over it. Hanson and Lawrenson have it down as a home win and even Paddypower have us as clear 2/5 favourites.

But just because we are the favourites and just because everyone expects us to win doesn't mean we will and with Pompey at 8/1 there might very well be a mad Pompey fan winning a few quid today. It's football, anything is possible and we have to be careful.

Football is a funny game and we can't let our current form go to our head much like Pompey won't let their current form go to their head and we have to be professional. Like I said in my preview, I can't see anything other than three points for us today and it is just going to be interesting to see what team turns up.

Competition

You still have a chance to win a copy of The Gerry Hitchens Story. All you have to do is click here and guess the score today and also put down a goalscorer to have a bonus chance of winning a copy of the book.

Football Betting

I'm keeping it simple today, like my football team hopefully. £10 on us, Arsenal, Hull and Bolton pays out £86.58 if all teams win at home. I got those odds from Paddypower here.

Aston Villa Saturday Speculation

There really isn't anything today as most of the talk seems to be about Nigel Reo-Coker. Some are saying it is because he started having a pop at someone at training, while some are saying it has been a long time coming. Others are saying that Reo-Coker has support from quite a few players and he was just voicing concern.

At the end of the day, we will likely never know but how the lads perform today will probably be the closest thing we have to seeing if it is a team issue or not. An all guns blazing team performance with three or four goals or a return to how we played against Wigan on the opening day of the season and we'll have our answer. I know what one I am hoping for and I really hope we don't get the other.

Live Text and Links

Well, we will be twittering here and there will be a thread opened up on the forum here very soon. If you are looking for a link to watch the game, you know my favourite one is here but I also know that a few more will be placed in the comments below during the build up to the match.

Right, that is about it for now, I'll be adding team news below as and when we get it and anything else as it comes in. Until later, up the Villa.

Team News

Friedel, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Petrov, Milner, Sidwell, Young, Agbonlahor and Carew.

Substitutes: Shorey, Delph, Guzan, Delfouneso, Heskey, Beye and Gardner.

Looks like O'Neill is going to start 442 against a team likely to play 451. Should make for an interesting match.