Dan Godfrey

Sat 22 February 2025 19:42, UK

Portsmouth fans are salivating over recent performances from Josh Murphy, who is demonstrating just how key Championship experience is.

The Blues secured yet another home win on Saturday afternoon (22 February), overcoming a QPR side 2-1 for a league double despite the West Londoners’ improved form in recent months.

Murphy’s stunning hit opened the scoring just after half-time before fellow experienced operator Matt Ritchie added a second, meaning Jimmy Dunne’s goal for the visitors was merely a consolation.

John Mousinho called Murphy ‘outstanding’ player in squad

Portsmouth head coach Mousinho used to play alongside Murphy at Oxford United, who were the previous victims of the in-form Blues last weekend at the Kassam Stadium (15 February).

The winger’s Wembley double helped the U’s join Pompey in the Championship but he elected to reunite with his former teammate at Fratton Park on a free transfer in the summer.

Mousinho then proceeded to call Murphy the squad’s “outstanding” player given his pedigree at the level, which no doubt applied pressure to a player who began the 2024-25 season as one of many injured.

As the injuries continue to pile up for Portsmouth, Murphy is flourishing, and is taking the talisman tag from Callum Lang with the top scorer ruled out likely for the rest of the season with a torn hamstring.

Mousinho has given himself some interesting man management tasks over the years, with three senior goalkeepers among whom to maintain happiness, some at times unfair dropping of players for the good of the side, and then the Murphy comments to which it turns out the player has thrived.

Portsmouth keeping drop zone at arm’s length

Following their third Championship win on the bounce, Portsmouth are now nine points clear of the relegation places which they occupied for too long this term.

Supporters were wracked with anxiety over Pompey’s fate for months of this season and some harsh lessons have been learnt along the way, but it appears to be all for the greater good.

The Blues are now far more streetwise than at the beginning of the campaign and have really tapped into the 12th-man Portsmouth element of a bustling Fratton Park, building a promotion-level home record.

Three of Pompey’s next five league fixtures come on the South Coast as well, a factor which has to be maximised by the squad.

Mousinho has dealt with an incredibly difficult injury list all season, too, now potentially losing two more centre-halves in one afternoon in Rob Atkinson and Hayden Matthews.

But if the likes of Murphy and Ritchie can remain fit, Pompey are capable of more than enough to secure safety with several games to spare.