After taking years to reach the top flight the hard way, the Portsmouth winger thought his glimpse of glory had gone after Reading's relegation last season.

But when Harry Redknapp came calling, Little was delighted to jump back into the big-time with a summer switch to Fratton Park.

He said: "I always felt I should have been in the Premier League earlier in my career but I did not have the best of luck.

"I had a brief loan spell with Bolton just before things began to take off for them and I sometimes wondered what might have been.

"I needed to be given the chance or for the club to sell me but I did not get the breaks. I had to get there the hard way by winning promotion with Reading.

"For a year we lived the dream, finishing seventh and just missing out on Europe. But that was taken away from me by injury.

"I picked up an Achilles problem and thought that rest would sort it out but in the end I needed surgery.

"That kept me out for virtually the whole of last season when we got relegated on the last day and I was thinking 'Why me?' because I had thought I would be in the Premier League for four or five years with Reading.

"I did wonder if my chance at the top had gone. But then I got a bit of luck with a call from the gaffer and I was delighted to sign."

Little wondered if his jinx had struck again though when he suffered a dead leg in a pre-season friendly at Bournemouth and missed the Community Shield against Manchester United at Wembley.

He was almost fit for the opening Barclays Premier League fixture at Chelsea but decided not to risk setting himself back. Now though he is fit and hoping to play a part in the televised match against the champions.

He added: "I was desperate to be involved at Wembley because I had never played there but the injury kept niggling me. It was not right on the Friday but by the Monday I was able to start running.

"It did not feel too bad the day before the Chelsea game but I did not want to force it and risk a set-back. But I have trained this week and hopefully I will be involved."

Portsmouth will be looking to bounce back from a 4-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge but Little knows United will also be aiming to make up lost ground after being held at home to Newcastle United.

"It sounds stupid to say United are under pressure at the start of the season - but this is the Premier League," said Little.

"In years gone by teams could take time to get into their stride and then have a good run after Christmas but now if you are not up and running from the start then it can be hard to peg it back.

"Chelsea were playing catch-up last season anmd had a great run but they could not catch United and if you drop points in the first month then you are under pressure and Un ited won't be happy to have only drawn with Newcastle.

"They will try to make sure they pick up points against us but we need to bounce back from losing at Chelsea. If you lose 1-0 and go down fighting then that is one thing but if you lose 4-0 then it hurts.

"If we play like we did last Sunday then we will be beaten again but we have gone through a few things and picked up areas we can improve on and we will make sure we play a lot better."