Portsmouth appeared to have turned a corner after a four-match unbeaten streak, securing home victories over Preston North End and Bristol City. They followed this up with a solid away draw against Swansea City. However, their positive momentum was halted when they were held to a goalless draw at home by Norwich City at Fratton Park.
Despite this setback, the confidence gained from the unbeaten run quickly evaporated after a disastrous trip to Pride Park last Friday. The team suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat to Derby County, conceding three goals within the first 30 minutes of the match. As a result, John Mousinho’s side found themselves dropped into the relegation zone, now only one point away from safety as they head into the upcoming weekend’s fixtures.
Pompey, whose winless away run has now stretched to five matches, will be hoping for a strong return to Fratton Park. Their home form has been more positive, as they are unbeaten in their last three games at the stadium, with just one loss in their past six home matches.
Meanwhile, Frank Lampard has made a promising start in his new managerial role at Coventry City. Since replacing Mark Robins in November, Lampard has seen his side avoid defeat in three out of his first four matches. He began with a 2-2 draw against Cardiff City and celebrated his first win with a narrow 1-0 victory at Millwall. However, Coventry suffered a setback with a loss to West Bromwich Albion before bouncing back last Saturday with a 2-1 win at home against Hull City. The Sky Blues were a goal down but turned things around thanks to goals from Ephron Mason-Clark and Jack Rudoni, which ended a three-match winless streak at the Coventry Building Society Arena and moved them seven points clear of the relegation zone.
With their recent win, Coventry will now be eager to secure back-to-back victories. However, despite their 1-0 win over Portsmouth earlier this season, the Sky Blues have struggled at Fratton Park in recent years, failing to win on their last four visits to the stadium.
Portsmouth’s injury woes continue, with several key players sidelined. Kusini Yengi, Mark O’Mahony, Conor Shaughnessy, Jordan Williams, Ibane Bowat, and Jacob Farrell are all unavailable. Regan Poole, who missed the Derby defeat due to a hamstring issue, is still a major doubt for the upcoming match. Zak Swanson, on the other hand, has returned from injury and is pushing for his first start since October 2, after featuring as a substitute in the past three matches.
Coventry, too, is dealing with injury concerns. Top scorer Haji Wright remains out after missing the past six matches with an injury, and goalkeeper Ben Wilson is also unavailable. Lampard has indicated that neither player is expected to feature in the team’s final three fixtures of 2024. Despite these absences, Mason-Clark has been in excellent form, scoring three goals in the last four matches since Lampard took over, and he will be a key player for Coventry moving forward.
Looking ahead to the match, Portsmouth’s starting lineup could feature goalkeeper Schmid, with Swanson, McIntyre, Pack, and Ogilvie in defense. The midfield might include Potts and Dozzell, with Ritchie, Lang, and Murphy providing support to striker Bishop. For Coventry, Collins is expected to start in goal, with Van Ewijk, Thomas, Binks, and Dasilva forming the defensive line. Torp and Sheaf could occupy the midfield, while Sakamoto, Rudoni, and Mason-Clark are likely to provide attacking options, with Bassette leading the forward line.
Both teams will be eager to build on recent positive results and avoid slipping back into poor form. Portsmouth, in particular, will need to find a way to overcome their away struggles, while Coventry will be determined to continue their improvement under Lampard’s leadership, aiming to close out the year with more points. With both teams having key players sidelined, the match could prove to be an unpredictable encounter as they battle for vital points in the quest for safety.
