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Portsmouth v Aston Villa Live |
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Avram Grant will be hoping to kick start his managerial career at Portsmouth with a comfortable victory when they welcome Aston Villa in the quarter finals of the Carling Cup on Tuesday.
The Israeli coach was announced as the successor to Paul Hart on Friday though Paul Groves and Ian Woan will be in charge of the team for the game against Manchester United on Saturday. The Pompey board has promised funds for at least three players during the January transfer window and will be hopeful that the former Chelsea manager will be able to save the club from relegation this season.
In spite of all their troubles in the Premier League, Portsmouth have been clinical in the Carling Cup, comfortably beating Hereford United and Carlisle United before their thumping 4-0 win over Stoke City in the fourth round.
Aston Villa on the other hand had to fight their way into the quarter finals. Villa started their league cup campaign with a hard fought 1-0 win over Cardiff City in the third round before beating Sunderland 3-1 on penalties after their fourth round tie had ended in a stalemate.
Both the teams last met in the Carling Cup back in 1983-84 season when Villa edged the second round tie 5-4 on aggregate.