The Premier League's basement club have hit a bad run of results in recent days, and are in danger of being cast adrift at the bottom of the division.

And Grant believes that now is the moment when the gap has to be closed if the south coast side are to have realistic hopes of staying up.

"This is a big game," he said. "And what is interesting is that the next three games are against teams around us.

"We are running out of time, but we will do everything to win this game.

"Sunderland are a good team, but I don't see teams who are better than us in the bottom half - that is why it is a pain that we are not taking points.

"Tonight's game will be difficult because Sunderland are a good team, but they are not better than us."

Though his Portsmouth side are struggling, Pompey will be no pushovers.

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce told the Gazette: "They might have got beaten by five by Manchester United at the weekend, but I watched the whole of their game against Fulham the other week and they could easily have won by two or three. They played some excellent stuff."

That view on Portsmouth's ability to cause sides problems is echoed by Pompey's manager.

"A team like Derby showed less quality than the others two seasons ago," reflected Grant. "We are not like that, but we need to take points.

"Football is about putting the ball in the net, and at the moment we are not doing that. Everything else is going well.

"The football we play, the spirit and chances we are creating, if we continue like that we will take points. This run will not last forever."

Grant says former Portsmouth star Benjani can expect a warm welcome at the club where he won admirers for his workrate and willingness.

"Benjani is a great guy," he said. "I worked with him here in 2006.

"He is a great guy and a great player who always gives 100 per cent.

"He gave everything for the team and everything for Portsmouth, but I hope he will not do that for Sunderland this evening!"