After reviewing their wonderful start to the season, Sky Sports pundit Chris Kamara delivered his Portsmouth verdict this week.

"Pompey will be guaranteed a place in the Premiership if they beat Leicester on Saturday," he insisted.

Kamara, who had two spells at Pompey during the 70s and 80s during a long playing career before going into management at Bradford City, is predicting a close match at Fratton Park.

"Man-for-man, the Foxes have probably the best goalkeeper in the league in Ian Walker and two big strong centre backs in Gerry Taggart and Matt Elliott.

"Muzzy Izzet is playing a division below himself in midfield, and Leicester also have two of the most hard-working strikers you could hope for in Brian Deane and Paul Dickov.

"That's a great spine and, on paper, Leicester would comfortably beat Portsmouth.

"But on the pitch, Pompey have a wonderful spirit and togetherness that has carried them forward.

"Three points on Saturday will make the gap at the top too much for others to overcome."

Paul Merson is convinced that the Foxes will automatically regain their Premiership status this season, saying: "If we finish above Leic-ester, then we are guaranteed to go up. That's how highly I rate their chances."

Manager Harry Redknapp was in no doubt about Leicester's quality, admitting: "They are a very strong team and still have, more or less, the team which played in the Premier League.

"People say they may be affected by their off-the-field problems, but the players are still being paid and I would think that it was the last thing on their minds."

The Foxes are in administration with severe financial difficulties brought about largely by relegation from the Premiership and the building of a new stadium.

But manager and former Saint Mickey Adams has steadied the ship and Leicester's consistent form has kept them hot on Pompey's heels.

Before losing 1-0 at home to Burnley, the Foxes had won six on the trot at their new Walkers Stadium. Away from home their only defeat was a 6-1 drubbing at Ipswich.

Pompey go into the First Division 'Match of the Day' with both a seven-point lead and a massive goal-difference advantage at the top over the Foxes, and with no injuries or suspensions.

Leicester's key midfielder Billy McKinlay suffered a knee injury in the narrow midweek victory over Coventry and is rated as 'extremely doubtful'.

With his man-marking qualities McKinlay would almost certainly have been given the task of shackling the inspirational Merson in Pompey's midfield.

That was a tactic which paid off handsomely for Coventry in their recent draw at Fratton Park. Former Ipswich striker James Scowcroft is also rated doubtful.

Pompey: (from) Hislop, Kawaguchi, Primus, Ritchie, De Zeeuw, Festa, Taylor, Robinson, Diabate, Quashie, O'Neil, Stone, Merson.

Tony Pulis has been named as the new manager of First Division strugglers Stoke City.

Pulis succeeds Steve Cotterill, who quit to join Sunderland as assistant manager to Howard Wilkinson three weeks ago.

The news comes a day after former Ipswich boss George Burley declined to take over the Britannia Stadium hot-seat after having a last-minute change of heart.

Pulis this week agreed an out-of-court compensation package with Portsmouth over his sacking in October 2000.

The appointment of Pulis ends the search for a successor to Cotterill, with Dave Kevan having taken temporary charge. He has been unable to prevent a run of four successive defeats which has dropped them to within one place of the relegation zone.

Having started his managerial career at Bournemouth, Pulis, 44, moved to Gillingham in July 1995 and steered them to one promotion and one play-off finish. After a brief spell with Bristol City he resigned to jump up a division to join Portsmouth. However, he was dismissed after just 10 months in charge.