Redknapp expects two-way title race

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp insists the Barclays Premier League title race is already a two-horse affair once again - and believes that could apply to the Champions League as well.

Manchester United pulled off a 1-0 victory at Fratton Park on Monday night and Redknapp admitted he could not see beyond the 'big two' of United and Chelsea - last season's winners and runners-up respectively.

"They are still so strong that I can see them and Chelsea being the two slugging it out again for the title," said Redknapp. "They will probably meet again in a repeat of the Champions League final too, I shouldn't wonder."

He added: "Certainly, I think Arsenal and Liverpool have it all on to finish above them.

"Chelsea were very strong last week and United will be even stronger than they are now if they sign Dimitar Berbatov (from Tottenham), as I think they will, in the next few days."

The difference between United, the European champions, and last season's unlikely FA Cup winners was just a scruffy 33rd-minute goal which arrived when Darren Fletcher's half-hit shot was helped into the net by French defender Sylvain Distin's frantic swipe on the line.

United's second win in six visits to Fratton Park left Pompey - who knocked them out of the FA Cup last March - with an unwanted club record of six Premier League defeats on the trot.

Redknapp's side lost their last four in the league last season when clearly distracted by thoughts of the Wembley final clash with Cardiff.

But Redknapp insisted: "We've been a good team over the past two seasons and I'm confident we'll be a decent team again. We are a new team with a few players just getting over injuries, and once we play a bit more and get to understand each other we will be okay."