Week in preview: Community drive

Portsmouth have gone from being the Fiat Panda of the Premier League to a potential Porsche Cayenne in the space of 18 months.

Harry Redknapp inherited a rust-bucket that was on its last legs in January 2007, but with a couple of mechanical overhauls, Pompey are now purring and ready to race – for major honours.

The season starts tomorrow for Redknapp's team as they travel to Wembley to face a Manchester United side who have struggled to score in pre-season. With Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick and Gary Neville all injured and young Brazilian Anderson at the Olympics, Ferguson's squad will be stretched to its limits.

Redknapp faces selection problems of a different kind. Despite losing midfield maestro Sulley Muntari to Inter Milan, the Fratton Park outfit have brought in a number of quality players.

Peter Crouch will likely forge a formidable strike partnership with England team-mate Jermain Defoe and United's Edwin van der Sar will have to be at his best to keep the Little and Large combo off the scoresheet.

At the other end of the park is where the game could take a surprise twist: David James is in goal.

The entire tie could pivot on the performance of England's former No1 with United struggling for goals and Carlos Tevez the only recognised striker available and little sign of long-term target Dimitar Berbatov being allowed to make his desired move north from White Hart Lane any time soon, it could be left up to James to provide the excitement in the Pompey goal.

Redknapp knows that in James he has a goalkeeper with the ability to be world class on his day. But it is when the Calamity James alter ego turns up unannounced that the former West Ham and Southampton boss must feel like he has been sold a Lada engine in a Lamborghini body.

United are reigning champions and have won the Community Shield 16 times. Portsmouth in contrast have won it just twice.

And in 1949, when they last lifted the trophy it was only with one hand as they were forced to share the title with Wolves after finishing the game all square.

Redknapp has already written his name into Pompey folklore by winning the FA Cup – the south coast club's first piece of major silverware since 1950 – but he will be all too aware that victory over Sir Alex Ferguson's men will allow him to park his feet up with the big boys for a while and live his managerial life in the fast lane.