Aston Villa climbed level with second-placed Liverpool on 47 points after £3.5 million signing Emile Heskey hit a 20th-minute winner on his debut at Fratton Park. But it was another night of misery for Pompey boss Tony Adams who saw his own new signing Hayden Mullins miss two good chances and then had Nadir Belhadj sent off for a silly second yellow card 20 minutes from the end.
Pompey proceeded to put up a great fight after going a man down but had no cutting edge to break through a Villa side that soaked up pressure after Gabriel Agbonlahor played in Heskey for the winner.
Aston Villa's attempt to cement their place in the Barclays Premier League's top four was given fresh impetus with the debut of new £3.5 million striker Emile Heskey at Fratton Park
Portsmouth - looking to bounce back from their shock FA Cup defeat at the hands of Swansea - had a new face of their own in £1.5 million midfielder Hayden Mullins, and handed Kanu his first league start of the campaign up front with Peter Crouch.
Pompey boss Tony Adams made four changes in all, two at full-back with full back Glen Johnson free from suspension, replacing Martin Cranie and Hermann Hreidarsson taking over from Armand Traore.
Mullins came in for the injured Richard Hughes while David Nugent made way for Kanu, allowing another recent arrival Jermaine Pennant to play his natural wide-right role.
Heskey's Villa bow was at the expense of Steve Sidwell.
Home centre-backs Sol Campbell and Sylvain Distin had to stand firm to repel a corner and a couple of free-kicks which were conceded to quell swift breaks, with James Milner seeing a lot of the ball early on.
But Pompey's spirit seemed unaffected by the cup loss in the first 20 minutes and they clearly relished the switch back to a 4-4-2 line-up which relied on Pennant and Nadir Belhadj providing the service for Kanu and Crouch.
In the 17th minute Kanu rode a stiff challenge to send Pennant away on the right and although the former Liverpool winger's low cross was hacked clear it only went as far as Mullins - whose fierce shot from 22 yards deflected off Carlos Cuellar for a corner.
Brad Friedel had to field another shot by Sean Davis soon afterwards, before Villa went in front in the 20th minute through Heskey.
Friedel's long clearance midway was headed on by Gabriel Agbonlahor and Heskey drilled right-footed past David James.
It was a dream start to his Villa career for Heskey, who has scored more than 100 league goals in his career - but only three for Wigan this season.
The breakthrough brought Villa's confidence up a further notch and Pompey had some defending to do to prevent the visitors doubling their lead.
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But Adams' team continued to push and in the 35th minute, Davis forced a corner on the right and although Belhadj's kick was cleared he regained possession and found Pennant who pulled the ball across for Mullins to fire over the bar when he should have done much better.
The former Hammer had twice found great scoring positions but was unable to supply the finish on either occasion.
A Milner shot, bound for goal, cannoned off Campbell for a corner before Heskey tried his luck again and was just off target.
And Agbonlahor should really have made it 2-0 in the 40th minute when he tore down Pompey's right flank with typical speed, surging away from Distin but then trying to beat James at his near post and dragging a right-foot shot wide.
Pompey were clearly becoming rattled, though, and Belhadj was shown a yellow card for a needless trip on Craig Gardner in the 43rd minute.The Algerian was much more impressive a minute later, drilling a cracking drive just over the bar as Pompey showed they were still in it.
There was a surprise at the start of the second half when substitute Younes Kaboul came out to replace Pompey skipper Sol Campbell who had shown no sign of injury in the first period.
Even so, Pompey continued to show they had not given up the ghost as they took the game to Villa with a real determination. Johnson was booked for a foul on Gardner before Pennant fired a shot which Friedel did well to smother.
But the ever-present concern was the speed of Agbonlahor and Milner on the break as Pompey were forced to chase the game in search of only a third win in 14 league games since Adams took over as boss from Harry Redknapp.
The home support were in despair again when Crouch stabbed a shot from six yards over the bar in the 58th minute when it looked a formality for him to slot home Pennant's inch-perfect low cross.
There were half-hearted penalty claims when Pennant was blocked off by Cuellar going for a return ball from Davis.
Villa were largely content to sit back and soak up the pressure, bringing on Sidwell for Gardner in the 65th minute.
Pompey's lingering hopes were dealt a potentially fatal blow though when Belhadj was sent off in the 71st minute for his second bookable offence.
After his earlier daft trip on Gardner he unaccountably put his hand up to make contact with the ball after an innocuous clash with Cuellar near the touchline.
Referee Peter Walton immediately showed him a second the yellow card, followed by the inevitable red.
Villa's Stiliyan Petrov was booked soon afterwards for a kick on Pennant's ankle.
Substitute John Utaka missed a great chance to equalise right at the death, just failing to get his shot away after a tricky run in the box.
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