Avram Grant, the Portsmouth manager, has asked to extend Jamie O’Hara’s loan deal until the end of the season.
The midfield player, 23, has performed since he was loaned from Tottenham Hotspur at the start of the campaign until January, despite the South Coast club being bottom of the table.
Harry Redknapp, the Tottennham manager, revealed that Portsmouth have made the request but he has not decided how to respond. “I spoke to Avram and he said he’d like to keep him if he can,” Redknapp said. “I said let’s see what happens between now and January.”
Redknapp is short of a central midfield player to support Wilson Palacios, Tom Huddlestone and Jermaine Jenas. New signing Niko Kranjcar can play in the position but is more often employed on the flank. “In the Wigan game Niko was sensational,” Redknapp said. “He came on against Sunderland before that and turned the game around and at the weekend against [Aston] Villa I thought he was terrific again.”
Tottenham will be looking to bounce back from their Carling Cup defeat by Manchester United when they face Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, a side struggling with league form after the derby defeat by Liverpool last weekend. Krancjar believes his side have can pick up all three points.
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“I’m full of confidence that we have the players and the form to beat Everton,” the Croatian said. “We know they will be hurt by losing to Liverpool and we know exactly what to expect when we go to Goodison Park. We have to focus and rely on our qualities to show we’re a better team.”
Ledley King is set to miss the trip with a hamstring problem, while Jonathan Woodgate will need his groin assessed after having an injection to try to solve his problem. Luka Modric and Carlo Cudicini are long-term absentees.