Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has warned his young charges to be aware of the strength and sheer physical presence of Saturday's visitors Portsmouth.

Villa suffered a suprise 3-1 defeat at home to Redknapp's side last season and O'Neill claims his squad need to to be physically and mentally prepared for the challenge, whilst also looking for a way to nullify the Pompey strike due of Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe.

O'Neill said: "Portsmouth are very physical and Harry (Redknapp) has said himself he is fed up with having little footballing sides. He wanted strength and power in his side and over the last couple of seasons, I think that has evolved at Portsmouth."

O'Neill continued: "They are physically strong, there is a decent athleticism about the side and, of course, they have added the two lads up front in Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe who can score goals."

O'Neill knows his defenders will have to be on their mettle to handle the "Little and Large" of the Premier League.

He said: "Portsmouth got off to a difficult start this season but I heard Harry say at the time, 'Don't be writing us off yet.' And here they are. They have won some tight games including the televised game against Tottenham and they are just a point behind us.

"Peter Crouch is a good player and I think he himself has said, if he could get more time on the field, naturally he would score more goals and that was something he was not afforded at Liverpool.

"It is no surprise. He did pretty well when he was here and the crowd liked him. He and Defoe were always going to work well together. For such a tall player he has really good ability. Defoe is also a really good player - a really good goalscorer.

"You feel that Defoe can carve out an opening for himself and he can finish. He was kept third or fourth choice at Tottenham and he felt he was better than that.

"Against us in January he showed he can take his chances."

Villa's last run out before the international break was a disappointing 2-0 defeat at the hands of a resurgent Chelsea side but O'Neill says, even if the result had gone Villa's way, it would not have meant the team were beginning to take opponents for granted.

"Had we got a result against Chelsea, it would not have meant that we were catapulting ourselves into superstardom," he said.

"We have got 13 points now from seven games and I am very pleased especially after the result in only our second game of the season against Stoke City. Now is a chance to push on."

O'Neill has seen all of his troops return unscathed from their international World Cup Qualifiers although striker Gabby Agbonlahor is a slight doubt after sufffering a hamstring problem in midweek with the England Under 21s in the European Championship qualifier with Wales Under 21s at Villa Park.