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Premier League Betting: Portsmouth v Blackburn

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It's been a spectacularly successful season for Harry Redknapp's powerful Portsmouth team. But, will they be able to motivate themselves for a premier league game with Blackburn when they've got the FA Cup Final dominating the horizon? Richard Walker pontificates.

Surely, surely, surely Pompey's eyes will by now be firmly fixed on the FA Cup Final. Yet I still couldn't be certain they'll lose at home to Blackburn.

A couple of positive results after the semi-final suggested that both eyes were still firmly fixed on the Premier League ball, if you will, but although last weekend's 3-1 defeat at Man City was a bit freakish for its early goals (and the fact there was a three in the scoreline, if nothing else!), Harry Redknapp knows where his bread's buttered and might just start seeing winning the cup as the only realistic route to a UEFA Cup place.

Albeit Everton - in fifth - are only seven points ahead, so hope remains. But 'Arry will know however much you tell players to put it all in, we're well within a month of the Wembley showpiece and the sub-conscious 'I must not get injured' protection mode will kick in among Portsmouth's bigger guns.

Coming to the south coast on the back of a terrific performance at home to champions elect Man United are Mark Hughes' Blackburn Rovers. The most interesting fact - and there are plenty of dull ones out there, let me tell you - I could find is that they've only once taken three points off a top-half Premier League club this season, and that was at home to travel sickness specialists Man City.

Interesting for me, that one, since in my mind I always think of Rovers as sticky opponents for the big hitters, particularly at Ewood Park. But if they do cause problems, it tends to be draws, looking at the cold facts. Pompey are around [2.2] in the Match Odds, Rovers [3.8] and the draw [3.4]. Laying Rovers is where it's at for me - and you'll be liable to the tune of [3.85] to take a Betfair backer on for that one.

So trying to weigh up CupFinalitis, that understandable affliction bound to blight Pompey at some point, and Rovers' meagre return from harder opponents leads me ultimately to suspect this will be a draw, although I fear a home win I have to be honest.

A draw's a result which would do neither team's Intertoto qualification chances any good. And probably a low-scoring draw at that if it is to be level pegging, so I can see the Unders - at about [1.72] to back - being something to get involved in when you tackle the Over/Under 2.5 goals market.

Jermain Defoe should be included in your plans. As if you don't know by now, he's cup-tied so can only play the remaining Premier League matches. Whether at odds of [2.66] in the To Score list or, in the First Goalscorer stakes, a [5.9] chance, I suggest he'll be on target - hopefully first!

Before the weekend, only the top three in the table had conceded fewer than David James on their own turf. The man's in outstanding form and would surely be right near the top of a 'UK Player of the Season' vote, were one to be held (interesting concept!). Support him and his defence keeping Rovers at bay by backing a clean sheet for the south coast hosts at odds of around [2.74].

Draw/Portsmouth [6.2] or Draw/Draw [5.3] would be the likely destination of my investment in the Half Time/Full Time market. It's tough to make your mind up so firmly as to land on just one selection in this testing discipline so to cover at least two options is my advice, for what it's worth.

The Correct Score market can sometimes have the same feel about it, truth be told. With enough combinations to keep Pythagoras content, it's all about resolving that you're unlikely to scoop a massive return and that a bit of split staking is perhaps the most realistic course of action. A goalless draw, at [10.0], caught my eye, but not as much as the [7.4] odds to back a 1-1 draw. If Pompey are to prevail, how about 1-0? It's a [8.0] shot.

Two top-half teams punching above their weight, in all honesty, this'll be a hard-nosed encounter.