There have been many great Premier League double acts down the years - think Yorke and Cole; Shearer and Sutton - but there is one duo on the south coast stealing all the headlines. Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe.

With 13 of Portsmouth’s 18 league goals scored between them, the club are becoming ever more reliant on the pair to continue their lethal form if their season is to be as successful as the last.

However, with Portsmouth having a turbulent season full of ups and down, it is time for the support cast to step forward and play a major role if the club is to push on.

Harry Redknapp left for Spurs in arduous circumstances at the end of October, and as a parting shot at the board, he told the press of their lack of funds. If rumours are to be believed, Tony Adams could only have limited funds in January, and with serious debt to pay off, prize assets may be sold.

If you take away the goals Crouch and Defoe have scored, Pompey would be trailing with seven points at the bottom of the league, and with Kanu ageing and David Nugent and Ben Sahar unproven at this level, Adams must have his front two fit all season.

The midfield must also chip in with their fair share, the way Matt Taylor used to do. Lassana Diarra and Niko Krancjar are world-beaters on their day, but with their season plagued by suspension and injuries, Portsmouth have had to rely on their squad players far too often, which has seen them failing to put teams to bed over recent weeks and conceding too many goals.