Tuesday’s stand-out tie from the Carabao Cup Third Round sees Southampton visit Portsmouth at Fratton Park in the first South Coast derby between the teams since 2012.
Both teams are currently struggling in League One and Premier League respectively, making this an even more fierce derby clash than usual as they look for momentum in their respective seasons.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesPortsmouth will be without Ellis Harrison as he serves an one match after being sent off at the weekend at Wycombe.
Lee Brown (achilles), Jack Whatmough (knee), Marcus Harness (thigh) and Bryn Morris (groin).
Southampton have Nathan Redmond available despite the winger suffering cramp during Friday’s home defeat to Bournemouth.
Moussa Djenepo however is sidelined with a muscular injury.
Stat Attack
- There has been just one previous League Cup meeting between Portsmouth and Southampton, which came at Southampton’s St Marys’ Stadium in December 2003 as the Saints ran out 2-0 winners.
- Portsmouth are unbeaten in their last four meetings with Southampton in all competitions (W2, D2), with both teams scoring at least once in their last six clashes.
- Four of five draws between these clubs at Fratton Park in all competitions have finished 1-1, with the only exception being a 2-2 draw in August 1987.
- Only one of six previous cup meetings have taken place at Fratton Park, which was edged 1-0 by Southampton in January 1984.
- Southampton have won all of their seven Third Round ties in the League Cup this decade.
Prediction
Defence seems to be the issue for both clubs at the minute with 17 conceded goals between them, although their attacks are a little better with 15 goals amassed between them.
I therefore reckon that we are in for a tough battle here between two unstable sides but Southampton do have more quality in them which should see them through eventually.
Prediction: Portsmouth 1-2 Southampton
Result: Portsmouth 0-4 Southampton