“Premier League club to prioritise FA Cup”. That was the surprise news emerging from Fratton Park yesterday as Harry Redknapp conceded that Cup glory represents Portsmouth's only realistic chance of qualifying for Europe now that sixth place in the Barclays Premier League will no longer bring a Uefa Cup place this season.

Portsmouth, the only top-flight team to reach the last four of the FA Cup, play host to Birmingham City this evening but Redknapp has given up hope of overhauling Liverpool and Everton in the league. With Tottenham Hotspur having already taken one Uefa Cup place by winning the Carling Cup, a fifth-place finish would be required should Portsmouth fail to overcome West Bromwich Albion in the semi-final or fall to Barnsley in the final.

“The way it has panned out, it looks as though there will only be five European spots from the league,” the Portsmouth manager said, “so whoever wins the Cup will get the last one, unless it's Cardiff, of course [who, as members of the FA of Wales cannot represent England in Europe]. And, if you are honest, you would have to say that Liverpool and Everton look odds-on to finish fourth and fifth. They are 12 points ahead of us and that would take some cutting down with ten games to go. The Cup is our best route but we still want to finish as high as we can in the league.”

Jermain Defoe, the striker, is welcomed back into Portsmouth's starting line-up alongside Milan Baros, who is attempting to persuade Redknapp to make his loan move from Lyons permanent in the summer.

Birmingham, one point above the relegation zone, improved their chances of staying up with a 4-1 defeat of Tottenham on March 1, in the London club's first fixture after their Carling Cup triumph. Redknapp is wary of a similar sting.

“They are playing well,” he said. “They have signed James McFadden, and Mikael Forssell is back to full fitness so they will be a threat, those two. They are capable of staying up, of course they are.”

Forssell is uncertain whether he will keep his place this evening despite scoring a hat-trick in his previous game. “Hopefully I won't be left out of this one but I know our manager thinks tactically a lot about games,” he said. “For example, I started a [home] game over Christmas and scored [against Middlesbrough] and then sat on the bench for the whole of the next game.

“I know personally he has got nothing against me but I know that whatever is good for the team, he will do it. I believe I can help the team so hopefully I will get another chance.”

Teams

Portsmouth (possible; 4-3-3): D James - G Johnson, S Campbell, S Distin, H Hreidarsson - L Diarra, S Muntari, P Mendes - J Defoe, M Baros, N Kranjcar.

Birmingham City (possible; 4-4-2): M Taylor - S Kelly, R Jaidi, L Ridgewell, D Murphy - S Larsson, F Muamba, D Johnson, G McSheffrey - M Forssell, J McFadden.

Referee: S Tanner.