Portsmouth take cautious approach to Canaries

Portsmouth may be favourites for automatic promotion to the Barclaycard Premiership, but the Nationwide League First Division leaders will not begin celebrating yet.

Portsmouth are 11 points clear of third-placed Reading and go in search of a 13th home win against Norwich tonight which would extend their cushion over Leicester. The Canaries will be looking to complete the double over Harry Redknapp's side, having beaten them 1-0 at Carrow Road back in September.

However, after helping to set the early-season pace, Nigel Worthington's men have suffered a dip in form since the end of the year and are now in real danger of missing out on the play-offs altogether. Jim Smith, though, says Portsmouth will not be taking anything for granted. "Norwich don't have a brilliant record away recently, but that does not mean they aren't a decent team," the club's assistant manager said. "We will treat Norwich with the same respect we have treated everyone else. While they have lost a few away from Carrow Road, most of those games have been by the odd goal, so it will be far from easy. They have good players, so we have to be on our guard. They still have a big shout with regards getting in the play-off situation."

Reading beat Norwich 1-0 at Carrow Road last Wednesday to maintain their promotion push and inflict a third successive defeat on the Canaries. The Royals manager, Alan Pardew, though, wants the hard work to continue for the home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers tonight. "We're not safe, but we have got ourselves into a fantastic position," he said. "We couldn't have dreamt of this at the start of the season and if we keep this going we're going to be in there." The defender Steve Brown could return to the Reading squad, while John Mackie will deputise for the former Wolves player Adrian Williams, who is suspended.

The Wolves manager, Dave Jones, has a doubt over the striker Nathan Blake, who has a back problem, and George Ndah (hamstring) is still ruled out as he looks to focus on getting Wolves to Cardiff via the play-offs following the disappointment of defeat in the FA Cup at Southampton on Sunday.