The Nigeria forward was sidelined by a pulled hamstring for the semi final win over West Brom last month.

The 26-year-old is now fully fit but he knows it may be down to what system manager Harry Redknapp employs against Cardiff at Wembley on Saturday as to whether he starts or not.

Most Pompey fans would say Utaka, who joined from Rennes in the summer, has under-achieved in his maiden season in the Barclays Premier League after earning a dynamic reputation with clubs in Egypt, Qatar and France.

Utaka himself admits he has not scored enough goals to cement an automatic starting place but is desperate to feature at the weekend.

He said: "After missing the semi-final through injury, I am looking forward to playing at Wembley for the first time because it is such an important game for all of us.

"I feel I have settled in quite well but football is a game you cannot play on your own. I have had good support from the other players and the coach but I know there are things I must still add to my game at Portsmouth."

Utaka has managed only five goals in 35 matches, whereas he notched 22 in 63 for Rennes - including two consecutive hat-tricks - and 14 in 27 for Egyptian side Ismaily where he became something of a cult figure with the fans.

Now he hopes to learn from the shining example of Manchester United's 41-goal star Cristiano Ronaldo.

He said: "I know I have not scored enough but there is much more to come from me next season. I look at Ronaldo, who is also a winger, and the number he has scored for United. Next season I would like to think I can get somewhere close to him.

"I need to be more like him, to come inside more and try to get more goals. He is very talented, of course, but I feel I have the ability in me to do many of the things he does.

"I don't mind whether we play four or five in midfield, it is up to the coach, but with five maybe I get more freedom and space."

With Utaka missing, boss Harry Redknapp played his 4-4-2 "home" format against Albion in their win over the Coca-Cola Championship winners.

But Pompey have struggled for goals since then whenever hit-man Jermain Defoe - ineligible in the FA Cup - has run dry.

They are still odds-on favourites to beat Cardiff, the fifth Championship side they will have played on the FA Cup run, but their league form has been dreadful in the build-up to the final.

Four defeats and just two goals in six games since the semi-final means they are on the worst run of results of any team going to a final since Leicester 45 years ago.

Pompey have, though, a clean bill of health with England keeper David James declared fit again after a calf injury and skipper Sol Campbell recovered from a tight hamstring.

Redknapp admits: "I knew my Wembley team a couple of weeks ago but there have been one or two question marks since then which I think I've solved again now, but I don't want to show my hand to Cardiff too early,"