Relegation-battling Portsmouth host play-off chasing Southampton in a huge Sky Bet Championship clash.
Victory would lift Portsmouth as high as 18th in the table, whilst Southampton can move up to 13th with a win.
Team News
Marlon Pack could return for Portsmouth after he missed their last two league matches with a hamstring injury.
Conor Shaughnessy, Thomas Waddingham (both quad), Hayden Matthews (ankle), Josh Knight (back), Callum Lang and Josh Murphy (both hamstring) are ruled out.
Southampton could welcome Cameron Bragg back after he missed their last two matches due to concussion.
Oriol Romeu (ankle) is a doubt but Mads Roerslev (Achilles) and Samuel Edozie (hamstring) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Portsmouth host Southampton at Fratton Park on Sunday 25 January at 12pm GMT, live on Sky Sports+ in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Portsmouth have lost one of their last six league meetings against Southampton (W2, D3, L1).
- Southampton are winless in their last four league trips to Portsmouth (D2, L2).
- A win or draw would see Portsmouth set a new club-record for most consecutive home league games against Southampton without defeat, having twice gone four matches unbeaten against the Saints at Fratton Park.
- Adrian Segecic has scored in Portsmouth’s last two matches (W1, D1).
- No Southampton player has been involved in more league goals than Adam Armstrong this season (15), with Armstrong having produced 11 goals and four assists in 28 appearances.
Prediction
Engaged in the depths of the relegation battle, Portsmouth can take heart from their solid display in a 1-1 draw at play-off chasing Watford on Wednesday because this is now a must-win because they have a great chance to climb out of the bottom three if can keep it tight defensively but clinical up front.
Southampton meanwhile are …. points clear of the drop but had to grind out their slender 1-0 win over Sheffield United to end their winless rut after a bright start, which is a positive for their morale given their recent poor away form both currently and specifically at Portsmouth.
This clash therefore feels pivotal because if Portsmouth win this then they will be out of the bottom three and draw Southampton into potential danger, whereas the Saints can pull a gap on the drop if they get the win so I expect this to be a close battle which ends in a point apiece.
Prediction: Portsmouth 1-1 Southampton