Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch was full of praise for teammate Jermain Defoe after his double in Saturday's defeat of Middlesbrough.

"He is fantastic in and around the box. His touch and his quick finishing make him the best penalty box player I've played with," said Crouch.

"Give him a chance and invariably he'll put it away. If I can play to his strengths and get my fair share of goals, we'll do well this year.'"

There was something almost retro about this match, with the rare chance to see two English managers and a high percentage of English players.

As Crouch remarked: "It was a very good advert for English football and good to see two home managers, one proven and one who has built a good side."