With just five games remaining and three points standing between themselves and the relegation zone, Portsmouth have been dealt another ill-timed injury blow as they look to confirm their Championship safety.
Portsmouth facing crucial run-in
Having achieved promotion back to the Championship last season, it would be an incredible success if Portsmouth managed to stay afloat at the first time of asking. On that front, John Mousinho’s side have still got a job to finish, however. As things stand, they sit 17th and a precarious three points above the dropzone ahead of a crucial few weeks.
|
Portsmouth’s final 5 Championship games  |
Date |
|---|---|
|
Portsmouth vs Derby County |
12/04/2025 |
|
Norwich City vs Portsmouth |
18/04/2025 |
|
Portsmouth vs Watford |
21/04/2025 |
|
Sheffield Wednesday vs Portsmouth |
26/04/2025 |
|
Portsmouth vs Hull City |
03/05/2025 |
Squaring off against two of the eight sides currently below them in the Championship standings ahead of their final five games, Portsmouth will hope to get back to winning ways as soon as possible after losing in the 94th minute against Coventry City last time out.
Mousinho had his say on the devastating last-gasp defeat, telling reporters: “It was a really difficult one. I was going to say what a really good point away from home at Coventry, a very, very solid performance, we caused them problems and nearly caught them at the very back end of the game.
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“The difference between that – the positivity – to where we are now. It’s obviously a solid display and then 10 seconds of madness.We have to be realistic about that. We can’t have those moments in games where we make really, really poor decisions because the ball ends up in the back of the net.”
What certainly didn’t help Pompey was the fresh injury news that they suffered in the build-up to the Coventry game, adding to their list of absentees alongside the likes of Connor Shaughnessy, Rob Atkinson and Ibane Bowat.
Milosevic adds to Portsmouth’s injury woes
Now without four central defenders, Mousinho confirmed that Alexander Milosevic is set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering an injury in the build-up to Portsmouth’s defeat against Coventry. Left to call on Connor Ogilvie, who can play left-back or centre-back, and Regan Poole, Pompey are one more defensive blow away from a makeshift backline.
Mousinho confirmed Milosevic’s injury, telling reporters: “Alex picked up an injury in training so we are going to scan that on Thursday and see how he is.”
Having arrived in March on a free deal, the 33-year-old is yet to make his Portsmouth debut and will now have to wait even longer just when Mousinho may have needed his services most amid an injury crisis.
Those around Fratton Park will simply be hoping to avoid another lengthy absence at a crucial time for the club. With just five games left to play, Portsmouth are so close to Championship safety and confirming that before a nervous game against Hull City on the final day would certainly come as a major relief.
