West Ham's Argentinian signing, Carlos Tevez, is unlikely to play for the club against Portsmouth tomorrow. - Reuters

LONDON (AP):

THE ARRIVAL of Argentina stars Carlos Tevez and Javier Mas-cherano hasn't done much for West Ham.

The Hammers have lost five games in a row without scoring a goal and have already been ousted from the UEFA Cup, with Alan Pardew's new signings making little impact.

Without a victory since the opening day of the season, West Ham are 16th in the 20-team standings and face uncertainty off the field too.

Two rival consortiums are considering buying a club which could be sliding out of the Premier League only two seasons after its return.

Takeover bid

A consortium led by Iranian-born businessman Kia Joorab-chian, whose former company Media Sports Investment owns the contracts of Tevez and Mascherano, is reported to have put together a takeover bid for West Ham.

Now, Icelandic businessman Eggert Magnusson, who is also head of his country's soccer federation and a UEFA executive committee member, is behind a proposed £75-million (US$140 million) bid for a club which last season turned a sizable loss into a healthy profit of £6 million pounds (US$11.1 million).

Tomorrow, West Ham hope to turn around their abysmal form when they go to Fratton Park to face Portsmouth. Last season, Portsmouth just escaped relegation while West Ham finished ninth and reached the FA Cup final.

Now the situations are reversed.

While West Ham are just above the relegation zone, Portsmouth, who are managed by former Hammers manager Harry Redknapp, are fourth. But West Ham's Marlon Harewood says no one is blaming Tevez and Mascherano for the team's slump in form.

"They have been fantastic since they came here," he said. "When they first came here they showed straight away in training what good players they are and they have fitted in really well.

"The results have not been good. But it's the way things are happening at the moment and we just have to rectify it, starting with Portsmouth this weekend. We are all in this together."

Tevez is an injury doubt for the game. He picked up a knee problem in Argentina's 2-1 loss to Spain in a friendly on Wednesday.

"Early on, my knee hurt and I did not play 100 per cent," he said.

No problems

Mascherano also played in that game and reported no problems.

While West Ham and Portsmouth are in positions neither realistically expected, the top two are a lot more familiar.

Manchester United and Chelsea are tied with 16 points from seven games, two ahead of Bolton. Tomorrow, the Red Devils go to Wigan, who are one place above West Ham, and Chelsea visit promoted Reading, who are seventh and unbeaten in three home games.

After a slow start, Arsenal have won five games in a row, three in the league and two in the Champions League, and have climbed to eighth with a game in hand on the teams above. The Gunners will be confident of collecting three points at home to next-to-last Watford, who are still looking for their first victory in their return to the top flight.

Liverpool, the other leading title contender, have had an erratic start and lie 10th. Rafa Benitez' team has maximum points from three home games and hopes to maintain that against ninth-place Blackburn at Anfield. But Mark Hughes' Rovers had won four games in a row, three in the league.

Perhaps the top game tomorrow is Aston Villa-Tottenham.

Since Martin O'Neill arrived in early August, Villa are unbeaten in seven games with a maximum three victories at home and four draws on the road. Spurs, who finished fifth last term, have struggled so far and seek their first point away from home to lift themselves up from 14th spot.

Tomorrow's other games are Manchester City-Sheffield United and Middlesbrough-Everton and, on Sunday, Newcastle host Bolton. Last-place Charlton goes to Fulham on Monday.

Runaway Football League Championship leaders Cardiff, who have a five-point lead over second-placed Birmingham, have a tough game at Crystal Palace. Birmingham visit 11th-placed Luton.

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