SOCCER/Premiership: Portsmouth v Arsenal, Fratton Park, 8.0 Sol Campbell gets a first chance tonight to prove to Sven-Goran Eriksson that he should be in England's World Cup squad when he returns for Arsenal at Portsmouth.

The central defender will end a two-month absence by starting at Fratton Park but cannot assume that he will be granted an extended run after Arsene Wenger spelled out on three occasions yesterday that Philippe Senderos is being rested.

A fit Campbell was once an automatic choice but he has been kept in reserve when available recently and Wenger emphasised that reputation and the World Cup will not determine his selections. Campbell last played for Arsenal on February 1st, when he left Highbury at half-time after a disastrous 45 minutes of the 3-1 defeat by West Ham, when the defender felt "down" and "guilty" for the first two goals, and disappeared to Belgium. Wenger feels the 31-year-old is now in good physical and mental condition.

If Campbell's first challenge is to stay in the Arsenal team for the Champions League semi-final against Villarreal, he must also convince Eriksson to take him to Germany. He is held in high regard by the England manager but will need to show he has the form and fitness required for the World Cup. Campbell takes longer than some to reach his physical peak and has been troubled recently by ankle and toe injuries.

Eriksson is not short of options in central defence. John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Ledley King and Jamie Carragher are all expected to go to the finals, with the last two also covering other positions, and Wes Brown was in the most recent squad. Jonathan Woodgate is all but out of contention after the latest in a lengthy list of injuries. King will hope a nagging groin problem does not worsen.

"Sol will start tomorrow because I will rest Senderos, who finished tired against Manchester United, so it gives him a good opportunity to show that he's ready for us and as well for you," Wenger said in reference to England. "The challenge for him is to play well. It's quite simple."

Campbell was kept out of last season's FA Cup final by Senderos and could find his involvement in the run-in restricted by the 21-year-old Switzerland international. Senderos has formed a sound partnership with Kolo Toure in Campbell's absence, and Wenger said he has not been dropped despite struggling in the second half at Old Trafford.

"I do not take Senderos out because I am not happy with him," he said. "I'm very happy with him. We have a big record in the Champions League and it's down to Senderos as well. I will make my decisions when I have to make them but all the three central defenders know it's down to them.

"I have no really preconceived ideas. I just can say that recently I have been very happy with the defence because we have done very, very well and the decision I take is to rest Senderos, like I rest some other players, not more than that. The first obvious man to come in for me is Sol Campbell. I'm happy we have Sol back. After that I will go from game to game."

Wenger may use Campbell and Senderos together against West Bromwich on Saturday, giving Toure a rest. His selection for the match with Villarreal a week today will be telling, and Senderos would be entitled to feel hard done by if dropped. However, Campbell has been guaranteed matches by Wenger.

"We have now in three and a half weeks, eight games," he said. "Naturally he will get games." Wenger said he hopes Campbell will go to the World Cup and has assured Eriksson that Campbell and Ashley Cole will be "ready and available".

Cole returns to full training on Monday and Wenger hopes the left back will be in contention for the final four or five matches. "For England it should not be a problem," he said. Cesc Fabregas misses tonight's game because of a foot injury but Thierry Henry starts.

Wenger, meanwhile, believes players can be affected by big gambling losses and discourages his squad from anything more than small-money card games. Yesterday he defended Wayne Rooney's right to spend his wages as he chooses, and did not suggest the striker's displays will be harmed by reported £700,000 losses, but feels that some individuals would find that a distraction.

"I feel it can affect them," he said. "Everybody has to prepare in a proper way for the game and do what is best for him. That's why to make a big career you need to be strong and handle these type of things. If you lose too much money it can affect you."

Wenger acknowledged managers have a responsibility to "keep things under control" but added players must behave sensibly. "You cannot control everything. That is why I say it is down to everybody's responsibility. I remember they said that Michael Jordan, who was the greatest basketball player in the world, has gambled a lot of money. It is down to him but he could handle it.

"Everybody is free to do what he does with the money he has earned legally. In England the bets are legal and you cannot say on one side it is bad to gamble but on the other hand it is legally permitted to gamble. I feel there is a contradiction."

Arsenal have no club rules on gambling, however. "They can play cards, but they do not play for big money," he added. "It is like listening to music, it can be a little bit of an attractive distraction. If it becomes a pressure on the player, it becomes negative."

Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth head in to tonight's game on the back of a decent run of 10 points from four matches and it has given them a chance of survival, although they will be underdogs against Arsenal.

Portsmouth, who will be trying to drag themselves out of the relegation zone have injury worries about Noe Pamarot and Salif Diao.