It was former colleagues reunited as Avram Grant and Harry Redknapp sat side-by-side to give their thoughts on the draw at Fratton Park.

Like an attacking midfielder expertly timing his run into the penalty area, Grant, who spent last year as Portsmouth technical director, entered the press conference room and sat down next to the home side's manager, just in time to hear him sing Chelsea's praises.

'What you have got to remember is Chelsea have won nine on the spin without Terry, without Lampard, Essien's away, Drogba's away and Carvalho today was out.

'You are talking about five world class players. When those players come back, Chelsea could go on a run like they have just been on and the championship is nowhere near over.

'If you said to me before a Chelsea game, take five players out, I may well have chosen those five,' Redknapp continued.

'Chelsea are going to be even stronger and they have been incredible - and it is full credit to this man. He took on a difficult job and he has been fantastic for them.'

And with that, it was time for the Chelsea manager to take centre stage.

Redknapp, of course, was reacting to his side ending Chelsea's impressive sequence of wins.

'Always when we are not winning, we are not so happy, especially after we led 1-0,' said Grant, dealing with a draw for the first time since Boxing Day.

'We had great chances to win the game. Shaun [Wright-Phillips] and others were in front of the goal and they could not score. A draw is not enough for us and we attack with many players so Portsmouth had two very good counter-attacks and Defoe had two good chances to score

'But I think we had more chances to win the game.'

Chelsea follow Man United and Arsenal in drawing at Fratton Park this season.

'It is not easy to play here, all the big teams find that, they are very smart tactically but second-half we could win the game,' Grant insisted.

'There is a long way until the end of the season. This is the time to respect what all these players are doing. Without so many players we won nine-in-a-row, we are in all competitions, nothing is finished yet.'

Grant expressed hope that Frank Lampard will be fit to face Liverpool next weekend, to be joined by one returning African.

Returning to the subject of this Saturday's game, both managers claimed certain decisions had not gone their way, Grant questioning whether Portsmouth's goal was onside; Redknapp arguing for a first-half penalty for handball.

The Pompey boss, who sung the praises of former Chelsea man Lassana Diarra, summed up the afternoon.

'It was a great game, both teams going for it. It could have gone either way and swung from end-to-end.'

If you have any stories related to this game, email afterthewhistle@chelseafc.com.