Portsmouth will be without regular full-backs Glen Johnson and Dejan Stefanovic for the trip to champions Chelsea.
Johnson, on loan from Chelsea, is ineligible against his parent club while captain Stefanovic has a knee problem and is due to will revisit a specialist on Monday.
Noe Pamarot comes in at right-back with Matt Taylor likely to move from midfield into a defence which has conceded just three league goals, prompting a recall for Croatian star Niko Kranjcar.
Manager Harry Redknapp is set to stick with Manuel Fernandes and Pedro Mendes in an all-Portuguese central midfield and Benjani Mwaruwari and Kanu up front despite Andy Cole’s goal as a substitute against West Ham.
Provisional squad: James, Pamarot, Primus, Campbell, Taylor, O’Neil, Pedro Mendes, Fernandes, Kranjcar, Benjani, Kanu, Davis, Lualua, Cole, Hughes, Thompson, Douala, O’Brien, Kiely.