Portsmouth manager Paul Hart admits he would be delighted with a victory in "Timbuktu" if it ended the club's worst ever start to a season.

The south coast team have lost all of their five opening Barclays Premier League games and are rock bottom of the table.

Hart and his men will be looking to end this run against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday.

Pompey endured a testing summer following Sulaiman Al-Fahim's drawn-out takeover at Fratton Park and were forced to sell a number of key players to balance the books.

Former Nottingham Forest boss Hart has been working overtime to construct a team within the past few weeks, signing eight players in the final few days of the transfer window.

And with his side seemingly poised for a relegation fight, Hart admits he would take three points anywhere to get his side off the mark.

He said: "Who wants five defeats? If we were playing in Timbuktu, I would be pleased to get a result. Anywhere now will do."

Hart added: "We've got a good spirit around the camp and a desire to put things right. Hopefully, we can get that result and it will settle things down.

"No other Premiership club has ever started the season with 14 players. No other Premiership club has done all their business within 48 hours of the transfer window's end."

Although Portsmouth are yet to keep a clean sheet this term, Hart has challenged on-loan striker Frederic Piquionne to start finding the net at the other end.

The French player has not scored for Pompey in the league since his arrival at Fratton Park, although he struck against Hereford in the Carling Cup second round.

Hart feels the player must adjust to the pace and power of the Premier League, and the Pompey boss hopes he will get there fast.

He said: "He's decent in the air but he has to acquire some Premiership toughness.

"He has to get stronger, mentally and physically. He has to get battle-hardened and that comes with the experience of being out on the pitch.

"You would hope he will adjust to the Premier League sooner rather than later. He's had a good look at it now and it's going to have to happen quite quickly.

"He's a centre forward and he's there to score goals. We're all over goalies and defenders when something goes in at the other end, but attackers have a job to do."

Hart admits Piquionne was always going to face a huge task adjusting from life in the French Ligue 1 to the English top flight.

But with the club short on funds, the Pompey manager knew it would be tough to recruit a seasoned Premier League player.

He said: "I think he's learning - coming from the French league to the English Premiership is a massive, massive step. It's possible people don't appreciate that.

"But to bring in someone who is used to the Premiership would cost £15 million and that's the trade-off you make."

Despite his side's pointless start and their 3-2 loss at home to fellow strugglers Bolton last Saturday, Hart believes his charges have shown signs of turning their fortunes around.

He added: "We've had another week to work with the players and I retain my belief in these players.

"The stats from the Bolton game show we had more of the ball and more chances. We put the ball in the box 49 times and scored two goals. But two goals at home should be enough to win a football match."