West Ham vs Portsmouth: Carabao Cup clash set for Saturday

The Carabao Cup is back, and West Ham will be looking to make a statement against Championship rivals Portsmouth at the London Stadium on Saturday. The Hammers have been busy in the transfer market, but one man who won't be featuring is Freddie Potts, who left the club just days before the Carabao Cup opener.

West Ham's Pre-Season Form

West Ham rounded off their pre-season preparations with a 1-1 draw against German second-tier outfit FC Magdeburg. They also played out a goalless draw with Scottish giants Rangers and thrashed League One Stevenage 5-0 in other friendlies. This suggests that the Hammers have been working on their defensive solidity and attacking flair, which could serve them well against Portsmouth.

Portsmouth's Pre-Season Struggles

In contrast, Portsmouth have struggled for results this summer, winning just one of their friendly fixtures - a 2-1 win over National League side Woking. They have played out draws with non-league outfit Farnborough and League Two Bristol Rovers, while they were beaten 2-0 by fifth-tier Aldershot, and lost 3-1 to Wycombe Wanderers. This lack of momentum could make it tough for Portsmouth to get a result against West Ham.

Team News and Injuries

West Ham's biggest boost of the summer was captain Jarrod Bowen pledging his future to the club for their Championship campaign. However, Tomas Soucek is out with an ankle injury, and summer signings Joel Veltman and Keiber Lamadrid could start for the Irons after making their permanent moves to the club. Meanwhile, Portsmouth have welcomed six new arrivals this summer, who will be hoping to make their competitive debut on Saturday. However, Harvey Blair and Josh Murphy are injury concerns ahead of the West Ham clash, after the pair missed Pompey's final pre-season clash.

What to Expect

The Carabao Cup is always a competitive and unpredictable competition, and this tie is no exception. West Ham will be looking to make a statement against Championship rivals Portsmouth, while the Pompey will be hoping to cause an upset. With both teams having their strengths and weaknesses, this tie is sure to be an exciting and closely contested affair.

In conclusion, the Carabao Cup tie between West Ham and Portsmouth is set to be a thrilling encounter. With both teams having their strengths and weaknesses, it's difficult to predict a winner. However, one thing is for sure - it's going to be an exciting match that will give fans a glimpse into what to expect from both teams in the Championship this season.