Portsmouth draw a blank

Portsmouth 0 Manchester City 0: Portsmouth's third goalless draw in their last four home matches ensured their opponents Manchester City stay above them in third place in the Premier League.

There were no missed penalties this time - as against Liverpool and West Ham, which cost Pompey vital points - but Glen Johnson and substitute David Nugent both hit the woodwork.

Portsmouth chalked up their eighth successive league game without defeat but City deserved their point too.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's men made a solid recovery from their last away trip in the league - when they shipped six goals at Chelsea - and the passing and movement of Brazilian pair Elano and Gelson, on his league debut, was a joy to watch.

But ultimately it was young goalkeeper Joe Hart's skills that kept City in the contest.

Portsmouth were first into their stride in an absorbing first half.

Benjani Mwaruwari, Kanu and Sean Davis all went close inside the first three minutes.

At the other end David James had to be alert to smother Martin Petrov's zipping left-wing cross.

While Kanu and Benjani formed a double spearhead in attack for Portsmouth, Darius Vassell foraged on his own up front for City - with Elano and Petrov quick to support him.

Glen Johnson's fierce strike was superbly palmed onto the bar by Hart after 34 minutes. Substitute Nugent almost became the hero for Pompey but his thundering shot in the 72nd minute came back off a post.