Portsmouth 0-0 Liverpool

Goalkeeper Pepe Reina saved a penalty but Liverpool slipped off the top of the Premier League after they were held to a draw at Portsmouth. Reina dived low to his right to save Kanu’s penalty, after Alvaro Arbeloa had tugged the Nigerian’s shirt.

Portsmouth were impressive and John Utaka should have at least hit the target from 14 yards.

Andriy Voronin grazed the Pompey crossbar, while David James saved from Yossi Benayoun and Peter Crouch.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez cut a frustrated figure on the touchline but Pompey, who have now played all of the so-called ‘top four’ in their opening six Premier League games of the season, were good value for their point.

And having left Fernando Torres, Ryan Babel and Steven Gerrard on the bench - no doubt mindful of the midweek Champions League tie with Porto - Benitez clearly took a gamble that did not pay off as his team failed to score for the first time this season.

Four absent from England training

Head coach Steve McClaren’s England squad trained without four key players ahead ahead of the crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia. Captain John Terry missed the squad’s first training session due to illness, ahead of the Group E game against Israel at Wembley on Saturday.

Midfielders Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard did not take part as they have thigh and toe problems respectively.

Owen Hargreaves spent a session in the gym rather than with the other players.

Terry reported to the squad on Monday evening feeling under the weather, but both he and Hargreaves are expected to train on Wednesday.

Gerrard continued his rehabilitation from a broken toe with some gym work, but he has assured McClaren he will be fit for England’s crucial double-header.

Redknapp tips Gunners for championship tilt

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp backed Arsenal to challenge for the Premier League title after his side were beaten 3-1 at the Emirates.

And Redknapp understands Arsene Wenger’s reluctance to spend big on transfers after watching the young Gunners, assembled for under £30million, cruise to a dazzling victory.

Emmanuel Adebayor rifled home the opener from the spot after David James had brought down Robin van Persie and the impressive Cesc Fabregas added the second from close range.

A quick free-kick from Fabregas then enabled Tomas Rosicky to score before a 62nd-minute strike from Kanu gave Pompey some reward for an afternoon of toil.

Arsenal 3-1 Portsmouth

Arsenal held out for more than 40 minutes with 10 men to beat Portsmouth. Emmanuel Adebayor’s penalty and Cesc Fabregas’s close-range effort put Arsenal in first-half control.

Philippe Senderos saw red for a foul on Kanu when he was the last defender, but Arsenal increased their lead through Tomas Rosicky’s powerful strike.

Kanu’s bizarre goal gave Portsmouth hope, but Manuel Almunia denied Glen Johnson and John Utaka as the visitors mounted a late rally.

Portsmouth came with a game plan, to defend in numbers and try and hit Arsenal on the break with John Utaka’s pace and Kanu’s trickery.

Pompey had a penalty shout turned down when Senderos - in for Bakari Sagna - appeared to block Hermann Hreidarsson as Matthew Taylor’s corner came in.

Boro capture O’Neil from Pompey

Middlesbrough have completed the signing of Gary O’Neil from Portsmouth for a fee believed to be £5m. “I didn’t think he would be available but he has now become available for various reasons at Portsmouth,” said Boro boss Gareth Southgate.

“He’s somebody I’ve been an admirer of for some time,” added Southgate.

O’Neil, 24, started out as a trainee at Pompey and only signed a new five-year deal with the Fratton Park outfit in July 2006.

He made his debut for the club at 16 against Barnsley and had been a first-team regular for the past few seasons.

But Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp’s need to raise money to complete other deals saw O’Neil being allowed to leave and the right-sided midfielder has been snapped up by Southgate.

Portsmouth land Diop from Fulham

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp has signed midfielder Papa Bouba Diop from Fulham for an undisclosed fee. Diop had been given the go-ahead to quit by Cottagers boss Lawrie Sanchez after the 29-year-old told him he wanted a new challenge.

“It’s nice to be here,” Senegal international Diop told the Pompey website. “It’s a good move for me and a good move for the club.

“It was an easy decision to make and I am very happy.”

Diop said he had a number of offers and Newcastle were one of the clubs linked with him.

He joined Fulham in 2004 from French club Lens and signed a new contract last year.

Fulham complete Stefanovic deal

Fulham have signed Portsmouth’s Serbian defender Dejan Stefanovic. The 32-year-old has moved from Fratton Park in a £1m deal and has agreed a two-year contract.

Fulham boss Lawrie Sanchez said: “Dejan is a formidable defender with vast experience at both domestic and international levels.

“He reads the game well, is brave and knows the pace and strength of the Premiership, so I have no doubt that he will prove to be an asset for us.”

Stefanovic joined Pompey from Vitesse Arnhem in July 2003, and had been captain of Harry Redknapp’s side.

Sanchez added: “It’s been a busy transfer period for us and we have bought some real quality into the squad.

“It’s been a disappointing start for us in terms of the results, but I’m confident that we have a squad of players now that can go on and achieve things here.”

source:bbcsports

Chelsea 1-0 Portsmouth

Frank Lampard grabbed the only goal of an open encounter to end Portsmouth’s unbeaten start to the season and send Chelsea top of the Premier League. Claudio Pizarro squandered two fine chances before Lampard burst onto Didier Drogba’s exquisite back-flick and drilled the ball under David James.

But Pompey also created plenty and Matt Taylor shot narrowly wide.

And in the final moments Ashley Cole was forced to clear Hermann Hreidarsson’s header off the line.

Chelsea began brightly on a scorching day and Pizarro almost justified his inclusion at the expense of Salomon Kalou within a minute but he dragged his shot wide from the edge of the box.

Florent Malouda then fizzed an effort into the side-netting after a surging run by Michael Essien.

And Pizarro had his second excellent chance of the game but headed wastefully over from Malouda’s perfectly delivered inswinging free-kick.

But after a nervy opening spell the visitors settled and they started to threaten.

Sunderland complete Cole capture

Former Manchester United forward Andy Cole has signed a one-year deal with Sunderland after passing a medical with the Premier League club. The ex-England striker, 35, was a free agent after leaving Portsmouth earlier this summer, but is unlikely to feature at the weekend as he is not match fit.

Manager Roy Keane played with Cole during his time with United.

“He has had a fair few clubs, but I have played with Andy and I know he likes to win,” said Keane.

He is someone I have always got on all right with - it might be different now I am a manager, that might change.

Brazilian ball wizard Denilson joins FC Dallas

Denilson, who in 1998 set a transfer fee record with a $40 million move from Sao Paulo to Spanish club Real Betis, has been signed by FC Dallas. The 29-year-old, who played in 12 World Cup games for Brazil in its 1998 runner-up finish and its 2002 title win, arrives from Saudi Arabian club Al-Nasr. Denilson becomes the fourth World Cup winner in MLS. The other three all played for Red Bulls/Metros: Lothar Matthaeus (Germany 1990), Branco (Brazil 1994) and Youri Djorkaeff (France 1998).

Denilson joined Al-Nasr from French club Bordeaux, for which he played 31 games in the 2005-06 season. He had spent seven season with Real Betis.