Portsmouth v Arsenal
FA Cup Sixth Round
Saturday 06 March 2004

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A team knows it’s having bad luck when there is a queue to get into the treatment room.

That’s just what's happened at Portsmouth this season. They had 15 players unavailable when they beat Liverpool in the last round of The FA Cup.

Nigel Quashie, recently returned from nearly three months out with medial ligament damage, reveals: "It was unbelievable. We had so many bad injuries, the treatment room was packed out. The physio was doing his best but he really had his hands full, so sometimes you had to wait."

Faye, Todorov, Pericard, Sheringham, Berger…the list of crocks goes on and on.

But the Pompey spirit accounted for Liverpool in the last round and Quashie doesn’t see any reason it shouldn’t be too hot for Cup holders Arsenal.

"The one thing you can’t fault with our lads is the team spirit and determination. We know we haven’t spent the money of a Manchester United and Liverpool but we showed in the last round, what a good counter-attacking team we are.

"We left it late to equalise at Anfield but we were playing well and it felt like a matter of time before we scored. Matty Taylor produced a great strike and he deserved it. He had a serious problem with an Achilles tendon and that put him back but he’s showing how he is a top-drawer player and I’ve no doubt he will play for England."

Now it’s Arsenal. Whereas some teams might quake in their boots, Quashie says Portsmouth won’t have any inferiority complex.

"Arsenal’s League position shows they are the best team in the country but they will remember playing us at Highbury. We were excellent and gave them a really tough game. We drew 1-1 but deserved to win really.

"They haven’t come to Fratton Park yet this season and they will quickly realise it’s not Old Trafford or Anfield.

"It’s a tight ground, the crowd are really close to you and it generates a terrific atmosphere. One guarantee is that Arsenal won’t leave on Saturday having had an easy game."

Pompey have had to fight for everything this season. Their luck was typified by what happened to Quashie.

"I caught my studs in a training match and damaged my medial ligament. I thought I was going to be out for four months," he says.

In fact, he was able to return in under three – great news for manager Harry Redknapp.

And Quashie knows who he would love to face in the semi-final if Pompey reach there.

"Millwall’s assistant-manager Ray Wilkins was the greatest influence on my career when he was my boss at QPR," he says.

"He threw me in the team young and I have to say there’s no way I would be in the Premiership now if it wasn’t for Ray.

"He is a great man and totally respected in the game."