Avram Grant will go head-to-head with Sir Alex Ferguson once again when he takes charge of Portsmouth's clash with Manchester United at Fratton Park.
The former Chelsea boss was named as Paul Hart's replacement on Thursday and, although the relevant details are yet to be sorted out, Grant should still take his place in the dugout.
Portsmouth have been struggling massively lately, and sit bottom of the table with seven points after thirteen matches.
The Israeli will undoubtedly put this down to a quirk of fate, although the timing is certainly unfortunate. Pompey fans are likely to be more forgiving if the Grant era begins with a whimper here, but the new man cannot afford to start too sluggishly. To gain one against United would be a major achievement and provide the perfect start for Grant.
Asmir Begovic is set to replace injured England goalkeeper David James for Avram Grant's first game in charge of Pompey.
Veteran defender Hermann Hreidarsson is likely to keep his place but Grant may recall French loanee Frederic Piquionne in place of Kanu, who made his first Barclays Premier League start of the season last week.
Midfielder Papa Bouba Diop has had an injury-hit season but he could return to earn a place on the bench having recently suffered with a hamstring injury.
John Utaka could also make a timely comeback having missed more than a month with a thigh strain while experienced defender Steve Finnan could also be in contention having been out with a groin problem.
The midweek defeat to Besiktas in the Champions League might have done little damage to United, but Ferguson will be desperate for normal service to be resumed at the first attempt as his side look to keep pace with Premier League leaders Chelsea.
However, Ferguson will have to watch the action from the directors' box as the United manager begins his two-match touchline ban. Despite the suspension, the Scot will be confident his side can do enough to cut Chelsea's lead at the top to two points with the Blues visiting Arsenal on Sunday.
Jonny Evans and John O'Shea remain doubtful for Manchester United.
Evans picked up a calf injury on international duty with Northern Ireland a fortnight ago, while O'Shea suffered an thigh injury during the Republic of Ireland's controversial World Cup play-off defeat to France.
Patrice Evra is set to return, along with Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, Edwin van der Sar and Darren Fletcher.
REVIEW:
Wayne Rooney hat-trick fired Manchester United back to within two points of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League as the champions inflicted a 4-1 defeat on Portsmouth in Avram Grant's first match in charge.
Having taken the lead through Rooney's early penalty, the Reds had to overcome the concession of a baffling spot-kick for the home side, which Kevin-Prince Boateng converted. Rooney struck twice after the break, once in open play, one from the spot again, however, before Giggs struck a late free-kick to cap a superb personal display.
Avram Grant began and ended his Chelsea managerial career with defeats against Manchester United and, on his return to English football at Portsmouth this afternoon, little had changed.
Just as in Moscow in the Champions League final of 2008 when Grant and Sir Alex Ferguson last went head-to-head, the penalty spot contributed heavily to the outcome, with Wayne Rooney putting Manchester United ahead following an infringement by Michael Brown.
Ben Foster’s status as Manchester United’s third-choice goalkeeper was also underlined as Tomas Kuszczak was selected in place of the injured Edwin van der Sar. The Pole was quickly called into action as Portsmouth began brightly, denying Aruna Dindane before an excellent acrobatic save to deny Jamie O’Hara.
Manchester United were also making chances, with Paul Scholes particularly lively and twice driving powerful shots from the edge of the penalty just wide of Asmir Begovic’s post.
Grant's team got off to the worst possible start when Rooney tumbled in the penalty area following a clumsy challenge by Michael Brown. But after Rooney converted from the penalty kick in the 25th minute, Kevin-Prince Boateng leveled from the spot at the other end after Nemanja Vidic fouled Frederic Piquionne.
Rooney, for his hat-trick, elected to fire to the left hand side of Begovic's net, and the result was the same as the first - a goal to the visitors.
Giggs capped his performance with a goal three minutes from full-time - his 100th in the Premier League.
Rooney, once again, was deadly from the penalty spot before Giggs sealed victory with a precise curling free-kick. It was Giggs' 100th Premier League goal. The pressure now switches to Chelsea and Arsenal ahead of tomorrow’s London derby. .