Fans will flock to Fratton Park en masse for Monday’s mouthwatering League One top-of-the-table clash, as first-placed Portsmouth welcome second-placed Bolton Wanderers to the South Coast.
John Mousinho’s men hold a three-point advantage over the Trotters in the race for the third-tier crown, although Monday’s visitors have a better goal difference and – perhaps crucially – a game in hand.
The disappointment of being knocked out of the FA Cup by Chesterfield has mostly subsided for Portsmouth, who hit a mini-plateau in the wake of that elimination but have reverted to type by clinching back-to-back wins in their last two League One affairs.
Taking to the road twice in quick succession, Mousinho’s men were 2-0 victors at Burton Albion on November 28 before going one better on Northampton Town’s territory, storming to a 3-0 success last weekend owing to Sean Raggett’s header and two Paddy Lane efforts.
Prior to the commencement of this weekend’s action, only Reading and Derby County had also taken six points from their last six third-tier matches, but Portsmouth’s overall total of 42 sees Mousinho’s men sitting pretty at the top of the pile after 19 matches.
Prior to the commencement of this weekend’s action, only Reading and Derby County had also taken six points from their last six third-tier matches, but Portsmouth’s overall total of 42 sees Mousinho’s men sitting pretty at the top of the pile after 19 matches.
Only Bolton are capable of catching Pompey in the current round of fixtures, and the hosts have another incentive to increase their advantage at the summit on Monday evening, having failed to put on much of a show for the home crowd in recent weeks.
Indeed, Portsmouth have gone winless in their last two League One contests at Fratton Park – drawing 2-2 with Charlton Athletic and suffering a horrendous 4-0 humbling versus Blackpool in November – but not since January 2022 have the hosts lost back-to-back third-tier matches on their own soil.
