BENJANI: WE WILL GET ONE OVER ON YOU, KANU

The pair have kept in touch since Zimbabwe international Benjani quit Fratton Park for Manchester City and they have spoken following his loan move to Wearside.

Sunderland’s 1-1 draw with Wigan on Saturday, when striker Benjani came on for the last five minutes, stretched their winless run to 11 league games. It has led to Steve Bruce’s side being touted as relegation candidates and Kanu feels they could get sucked into trouble.

Benjani said: “I am always on the phone to ‘The King’ [Kanu] and I joke with him that Pompey are going down. When I joined Sunderland he said, ‘You will be with us’, but I said, ‘No, no, no – that will not happen’. Seriously, he is happy for me that I have a new club and I hope they get out of the problems they are in.”

Benjani added: “I knew the Portsmouth game was coming up quickly and I am really looking forward to it. It was a very special time for all of us who were at the club back then . When I see the situation now, I am sad.”

Bruce will make changes in a bid to find the winning formula but with Kenwyne Jones back to form and Darren Bent always likely to score, Benjani is set to start on the bench.

“I know that in Bent and Jones we have two great players and if they keep playing as well as they did on Saturday, I will be on the bench,” said Benjani. I have to push them really hard.”

Teenager Jordan Henderson faces at least six weeks out after twisting his ankle at the weekend .