Betting Guide: Stoke v Portsmouth

Last updated : 20 November 2009 By Dan Buxton

Stoke go into this league clash on the back of a disappointing recent couple of results, but with impressive home form this term. Portsmouth are struggling at the foot of the table but have seen results improve recently and are looking at climbing out of the bottom three with another victory.

City are, as expected, favourites for the game and are available at 23/20 with William Hill. Pompey can be backed at 11/4 with BlueSQ and StanJames whilst the draw is 12/5 with Bet365, SkyBet and BetFred.

Stoke may have to sneak a win in this tense clash and 1-0 is available at 7's with StanJames and Ladbrokes. The Potters biggest win this season was a 2-0 opening day win over Burnley, and SportingBet offer 9's that the Potters repeat that. Stoke have conceded two goals in each of their last two games so a third may be needed and SkyBet offer 33/1 on a 3-2 Stoke win.

Pompey may have to defend well and snatch a 1-0 win. That scoreline is 9/1 with SkyBet and BlueSQ. Pompey won 2-1 at the Fratton Park last season and if you think that could be repeated tomorrow then BlueSQ will give you 14/1 on that scoreline. Last season this game ended 2-2 and BlueSQ and SkyBet offer 16's on that scoreline being repeated at the Brit.

James Beattie has a fantastic record against Portsmouth and always gets plenty of abuse from the Pompey support from his Southampton days. The hitman is 11/2 with Coral and StanJames to open the scoring.
Ricardo Fuller will be hoping to open his league account as he faces his old club and he can be backed at 6's with SkyBet, PaddyPower, BetFred and Ladbrokes to net first. Matthew Etherington is in fine form, netting first in each of Stoke's last two games, and can be backed at 14's with BlueSQ and SkyBet. Ryan Shawcross has a chance to put last seasons Pompey nightmare, when he scored an injury time own goal, behind him and he is 20's with BlueSQ and StanJames to put that memory firmly to bed. 

Aruna Dindane was a Potters target in the summer and is 8/1 with Bet365 and PaddyPower to open the scoring whilst Frederic Piquionne netted twice against Stoke in the recent Carling Cup encounter between these sides and can be backed at 9/1 with BetFred, BlueSQ and StanJames. Nadir Belhadj has a sweet left foot and has pulled a few cracking strikes out and most bookies are offering 33's on the left back opening the scoring.