Live Commentary

Johnson sums up a poor personal afternoon by firing his effort high and wide: Man Utd 3-1 Portsmouth.

It's almost all over as Carrick finds the net: Man Utd 3-1 Portsmouth.

Van der Sar saves Mvuemba's poor penalty with his legs: Man Utd 2-1 Portsmouth.

Giggs makes no mistake with his lofted penalty: Man Utd 2-1 Portsmouth.

Defoe squeezes his low drive under van der Sar: Man Utd 1-1 Portsmouth.

Tevez sends James the wrong way with his spot-kick: Man Utd 1-0 Portsmouth.

Diarra takes the first penalty and blasts his effort way over the bar: Man Utd 0-0 Portsmouth.

Tevez tries to fashion a last-gasp chance for himself but the move eventually peters out. It's penalties.

Portsmouth defend well though - it's only a matter of seconds before penalties.

United win a late corner as Tevez's shot deflects off Distin.

Evra breaks through two half-hearted tackles but his weak shot is easily dealt with by James.

Fletcher and Distin indulge in a lengthy war of words after Diop's late lunge on Paul Scholes.

A terrible effort by Diarra - wide and very, very high.

Pompey win a free-kick on the edge of the United area.

United have certainly lacked the spark that Ronaldo and Rooney can add to their game.

It's Portsmouth who are finishing the stronger as they play some of their best football of the game.

Utaka's speculative long-range effort is parried by Edwin van der Sar - the first save the veteran keeper has had to make.

Tevez is fortunate to escape a red card after grabbing Hreidarsson by the throat.

Tevez appears to be hauled down by Hermann Hreidarsson inside the area but the referee is unimpressed and waves play on.

Vidic doesn't deal with Diop's cross very well at all and Crouch almost nips in to score a cheeky goal.

It would have been the perfect strike to settle what has been a drab affair.

A superb stop by James who is forced to dive full-length before turning Tevez's effort away for a corner.

Nani's drilled effort is gathered by James as United try to step up the pace.

Giggs scuffs a shot towards James when he seemed to be in a good position to really trouble the veteran keeper.

Pompey seem to be content to stifle United, they've created very little of their own.

The match appears to be heading for a penalty shoot-out unless United can find more creativity in the remaining 27 minutes.

Nani makes Johnson look silly but James is eventually able to claim the Portugal international's cross.

Tricky play by Tevez who eventually forces James to make a smart stop.

John O'Shea has a word with the referee and is lucky not to be booked. The official has a discussion with captain Neville though to remind him of the Respect campaign.

Too many of Pompey's players seem to be off the pace, with Diop, Crouch and Johnson particularly struggling.

It's incredible how little Crouch has seen of the ball. He may as well not be on the pitch as Pompey's tactics do not seem to include him.

Nani catches Johnson out again but is hurt in the clash and needs treatment.

What little incident there has been in this game has centred on Fletcher.

The corner is half-cleared to Fletcher whose flicked shot comes off the crossbar with James stranded.

Evra wins a corner as Diop struggles to get back.

The pace of the match has slowed down considerably compared with the opening stages.

Defoe shows his pace to work an opening for himself inside the United penalty area, only to then shoot tamely wide.

Not so good by Nani who, after being set up by Fletcher, drags a shot woefully wide. It's all United now though.

A great run by Nani who flicks the ball over Sol Campbell and James before Distin gets back to concede a corner, which comes to nothing.

Fletcher's chance was by far the best of the game so far. It really was a bad miss by the Scot, who had been enjoying a fine game up until that point.

Nani dispossesses Glen Johnson and crosses for Fletcher who seems certain to score, but the Scot contrives to slide on to the ball and the chance is lost.

United have had by far the majority of the possession but they are still to fashion a goalscoring opportunity.

Passes continue to astray as both sides fail to create any clear-cut openings.

Better by Portsmouth, but no-one can get on the end of Diop's dangerous cross.

The match is starting to look like a pre-season friendly as the pace of the game starts to slacken.

Giggs forces James to make a smart save at his near post as United continue to dominate.

Defoe and Crouch aren't clicking at all as Pompey struggle to retain the ball for any length of time.

From the corner, Diarra lashes a shot from the edge of the area way over the bar.

Defoe wins a corner when he tries to find Crouch, who has been anonymous so far.

United are starting to get on top with Fletcher, somewhat surprisingly, at the heart of most of their best moments.

Diop gets his revenge on Evra, who needs the physio's help before being able to continue.

Giggs makes room for himself but again his final ball is poor. Darren Fletcher then fires in a cross that Tevez gets his head to, only for the ball to fly high and wide.

Pompey are more than holding their own though as the match continues to entertain.

Tevez finds himself in space again but this time Distin gets back to legally stop the Argentinian before he can shoot.

There's a slight delay in the action as Papa Bouba Diop requires treatment after being caught by Patrice Evra.

James does well to take the ball off Nemanja Vidic's head as the United defender almost gives his side the lead.

Giggs' free-kick is poor though, and Pompey clear the danger easily.

Tevez races clear down the right and is taken out by Sylvain Distin who is fortunate not to be booked.

It's all very tight with no chances at either end so far.

David James is forced to race off his line and hack the ball away from the onrushing Nani.

United have started to settle as they pass the ball about confidently.

Pompey start brightly with Lassana Diarra's long-range drive almost knocking Rio Ferdinand out.