Pompey blank adds to Redknapp concerns

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, arrested in midweek as part of an ongoing investigation into corruption in football, was given a rousing welcome by the Fratton Park faithful - but not even they could inspire their team to victory as their match with Everton finished goalless.

The result allowed both teams to maintain their unbeaten runs, 10 matches for Portsmouth and eight for the visitors, in a game that just fell to pieces after a promising start.

Perhaps most worryingly for Redknapp however, was that his side were held to their fourth goalless home draw in five Barclays Premier League matches after missing a hatful of chances.

Benjani Mwaruwari, who heading into the match topped the Barclays Premier League's goalscorers list with eight, produced an early bit of magic to go beyond Joseph Yobo after latching onto John Utaka's delicate clip, but the Everton defender recovered sufficiently to restrict the Zimbabwean to a snatched shot which slipped wide in the 18th minute.

Phil Neville's hopeful 30-yarder was the only thing to cause Pompey goalkeeper David James anything like trouble in the first half.

Niko Kranjcar and Sulley Muntari both fired over and when Steven Pienaar briefly lost his head to lash out at both Utaka and Benjani, referee Peter Walton only cautioned him with the furious home fans demanding a red card.

Pompey could have had two goals in the first five minutes after the interval when Pedro Mendes fired over from 20 yards from a half-cleared header, before Kranjcar nudged Glen Johnson's cross wide.

Everton looked a sharper proposition, though, when Andrew Johnson replaced Pienaar, who had wasted a chance given to him by Glen Johnson's careless slip.

Mikel Arteta became a growing influence and pieced together a move with Tim Cahill which should have given Leon Osman a goal against the run of play but for his heavy first touch which allowed James to smother.

Benjani fired over, before substitute Kanu tried in vain to sidefoot the winner after shots by Muntari and Papa Bouba Diop both bounced off a resilient Everton rearguard.