PAIR CAUSE CONCERN FOR POMPEY

Defoe - hit by bug.

Jermain Defoe's bug and Jerome Thomas's back are causing Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp concern - in a week when he has already lost midfielder Niko Kranjcar until possibly Christmas following an ankle operation.

England striker Defoe has been ruled out of training with a virus and looks a big doubt for Saturday's visit to Everton - as does former Charlton winger Thomas who joined Pompey only two weeks ago but now looks like falling victim to sleeping in a strange bed.

Redknapp, who admits there is no adequate replacement on his staff for Croatian star Kranjcar who severely damaged ankle ligaments in his country's friendly international against Slovenia last week, said: "Jermain has picked up a bug and we just hope he will get over it in time.

"But he's not well and we'll have to see how he is tomorrow.

"As for Jerome, he's never had a back problem before and we don't know why he's got one now. Maybe it's because of a change of beds since he moved here. It could be anything.

"We have a top-class back specialist here and hopefully he can put him right."

Defoe's absence at Goodison Park would force Redknapp to break his strike partnership with £11million signing Peter Crouch but the Pompey manager admits: "Although 4-4-2 is the way I've chosen to go with these two up front there are going to be some games in which we go back to 4-5-1 which was so successful last season.

"There are still a lot of ways we can play.

"I've still got a good squad, even though it is not big enough, especially with the UEFA Cup coming up.

"But we could even go 3-5-2 sometimes because we have in Glen Johnson and Armand Traore two first-class attacking full backs."

Pompey, who have started the campaign with consecutive defeats by Chelsea and Manchester United, are still without FA Cup hero Kanu (ankle) and new wide-midfielder Glen Little who has yet to feature since his move from Reading this summer.

The biggest loss - on top of having to sell midfielders Sulley Muntari and Pedro Mendes to balance the books after chairman Sacha Gaydamak restricted funding - is Kranjcar, however.

Redknapp continued: "It is a big blow to us and we could be without him until around Christmas or whatever. The frustrating thing is he didn't even do the injury playing for us.

"He played nearly all the games last season and he's a player you can't replace really, but we are going to have to try."

Redknapp, though, has confirmed the only business he can do before Monday's transfer deadline would be the loan of foreign players.

He explained: "We are only allowed two home loan players in the Premier League at the same time.

"And we had to turn Jerome Thomas's loan into a permanent contract to get young Traore from Arsenal on loan after already loaning Ben Sahar (from Chelsea). But I can still get them from abroad.

"The only way I could buy would be through selling two or three or players I'm prepared to let go - but they don't want to move."

Meanwhile, veteran Pompey defender Linvoy Primus's on-off loan to Charlton is back on as the clubs finally agreed on a three-month period at The Valley.