Portsmouth boss Avram Grant will be without cup-tied quartet Jamie O'Hara, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Mike Williamson and Tommy Smith for the visit of Aston Villa to Fratton Park in the Carling Cup quarter-final.

Goalkeeper David James remains on the sidelines with a calf injury with Asmir Begovic set to deputise between the posts once again.

Papa Bouba Diop is still out with a hamstring injury, while Steve Finnan continues to struggle with the groin problem he sustained against Wigan last month.

Martin O'Neill will check on the fitness of left-back Stephen Warnock and midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker before finalising his side.

Warnock missed the 1-1 home draw with Tottenham at the weekend through illness while Reo-Coker suffered an ankle injury during the game which forced him to be substituted.

Central defender James Collins is again ruled out through a combination of groin and thigh problems.

Brad Guzan is again likely to deputise between the posts for number one Brad Friedel after saving four penalties, including three in the shoot-out, during the win at Sunderland in the previous round.

Teams:

Portsmouth (from): Begovic, Kaboul, Mokoena, Mullins, Kanu, Belhadj, Vanden Borre, Piquionne, Ben-Haim, Yebda, Dindane, Webber, Brown, Wilson, Ashdown, Hreidarsson, Utaka.

Villa (from): Friedel, Guzan, Luke Young, Beye, Dunne, Cuellar, Clark, Warnock, Milner, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Sidwell, Downing, Delph, Gardner, Ashley Young, Carew, Heskey, Agbonlahor, Delfouneso.