Portsmouth's relegation from the Premier League has already been confirmed and manager Avram Grant will not want to risk the fitness of any of his key players ahead of the Wembley showpiece on May 15. He made wholesale changes for the Premier League clash with Wigan last week that followed the semi-final victory over Tottenham, leaving Mokoena out due to a groin problem. The South African defender returned for Sunday's defeat to Aston Villa and does not want to miss any action even though his groin remains a concern. Continuing to play could endanger the 29-year-old's chances of making the FA Cup final or representing his country at the World Cup, but he insists he is not planning to rest. "Everyone wants to play in an FA Cup final and so do I, but that doesn't mean I have to reserve myself in other games," Mokoena told The News. "I didn't play at Wigan and now we have three games before the FA Cup final. "Six or seven days is enough to recover with the medical staff we have. They are helping us a lot. "Nobody wants to miss the World Cup - especially on my home soil." Mokoena maintains that he came through the clash against Villa without feeling discomfort. "I was quite concerned about my groin before the game, but I managed to get through it," he explained. "That's me - I always want to get out there even if there is a little bit of a strain or some pain. "I don't want to think about it. I'm just trying to have good treatment and trying to rest as much as I can. But I felt ok when I was out there. "It's not actually something that I'm so worried about. I just want to play. "I don't want to sit on the sidelines. I want to display my talent. That's the character I am. "Some people are different, but I always want to get out there. I want to build confidence and have that match fitness."
