Grant backs Portsmouth to survive

Grant faces testing times on the south coast at Fratton Park

Avram Grant believes Portsmouth can still avoid relegation from the Premier League despite losing 4-1 at home to Arsenal amid ongoing financial worries.

Pompey claim they have not been served with a winding-up petition by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in relation to disputed tax contributions.

The club has also told BBC Radio Solent they are hopeful the players will be paid their December wages on Thursday.

Boss Grant said: "The board is doing its best and we can stay up."

A Portsmouth statement revealed the club was "shocked and surprised this action has been taken (by HMRC) in respect of VAT, PAYE and National Insurance contributions which either have been, or are about to be paid, or are disputed".

The winding-up order has been lodged at the High Court with a hearing set for January should the matter not be resolved beforehand.

The club's financial problems have led to Portsmouth's players not being paid on time in two of the last three months.

And Grant, who took over as Portsmouth manager on 26 November, faces further on-field problems with four of his players set to head to the African Cup of Nations in Angola in January with the club still under a transfer embargo.

The embargo will not be lifted until Portsmouth settle transfer debts owed to other English clubs.

However, Grant remains optimistic that all is not lost.

"When we get on to the pitch the players are trying to do their best. I know the board are trying their best," he said.

"I hope to have some funds in January.

"Even if it's a difficult situation, the team can stay in the league. One month ago we were seven points off safety, now we are four, but we need to do something.

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"I feel the supporters are behind us and they are good for the team. "I have sympathy for the fans. They were here before any player, manager or owner, and they will stay after, so we need to do our best for the fans."

Portsmouth will lose Ivory Coast striker Aruna Dindane, Algerian defender Nadir Belhadj and Nigerian striker and midfielder Kanu and John Utaka for the African Cup of Nations, which starts on 10 January.

And rumours persist that England keeper David James may be sold in the transfer window to help keep the club afloat.

But Grant insisted: "All the players in the team need to stay and I think the board know that.

"From the football side we need the players to stay and we need to make the team stronger.

"I know what the team needs to stay in the league and I'm sure we can do that."

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