Portsmouth-Hull City Preview

Oct 22, 2009 - 3:54 PM ALEX CROOK STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - Portsmouth manager Paul Hart has compared Saturday's trip to relegation rivals Hull to going to war.

Hart and Hull counterpart Phil Brown are both battling to keep hold of their jobs following the two club's poor starts to the season.

Portsmouth are bottom after losing seven of their first eight games, four points behind Hull who are also rooted in the relegation zone.

Hart, whose side face a critical month with a trip to Stoke and home games with fellow strugglers Wigan and Blackburn following the visit to Hull, said: "Outside of the top four that beautiful game syndrome is all a myth. It's just a war.

"The next four games probably won't disappoint on that basis. I think they are all tough, one after another it's just relentless.

"You hope with the ability we have in our side we can impose them on the opposition and cause them problems, which is what we have been doing."

Portsmouth have become the laughing stock of the Premier League after a summer of turmoil and Hart has warned the club's off-field woes could deepen before they get better.

Hart added: "We are having a difficult time, the football club is going through a difficult period, that's there for everybody to see.

"We might not have seen the tip of it yet, it might be harder but we've just got to stick together as a club.

"I've been in football a long time. I've not seen it and done it all - I'm not being clever - but nothing surprises me.

"What do you do? I have got a job to do out there and get on with that."

Portsmouth are without midfielder Michael Brown, who serves a one-match suspension, but Jamie O'Hara returns.

Hull midfielder Jimmy Bullard insists he is ready to play his first full game of the season after making his comeback from a long-term knee injury as a second half substitute in Monday's 2-0 defeat at Fulham.

Bullard has made only two substitute appearances since his five million pounds switch from Fulham in January 2008.

"I am feeling really good and I have declared myself available so we will see who the manager picks in his first 11," said Bullard. "I am ready for 90 minutes otherwise I would not have made myself available.

"I have been waiting for my first start for a long time and especially with it being a home game I cannot wait.

"I just want to get out there and show people what I can do and help the team.

"All I know is I will go out and give 110 per cent and enjoy it. I have had two spells out of the game of eight months and 18 months so I know how quickly it can be snatched away from you."