Credit: Imago

Dan Godfrey

Fri 7 March 2025 19:00, UK

Portsmouth and Leeds United meet in an important clash at both ends of the Championship table this weekend.

John Mousinho’s side take on Leeds at Fratton Park with a win for Pompey steering them increasingly clear of the drop zone; Daniel Farke’s title favourites would further prove their credentials with three points (9 March).

The game is expected to see blood and thunder, just like the 3-3 draw in the reverse fixture at Elland Road on the opening weekend, but is also notable for two players with an added mission.

Dozzell and Bogle walking a tightrope

Portsmouth and Leeds both have players sat on nine bookings in the Championship this season: Andre Dozzell and Jayden Bogle respectively.

Dozzell has been a superb cog in the Portsmouth midfield of late, and has become the mainstay of the middle of the park for Mousinho.

However, having received his ninth yellow card of the campaign against Luton Town last weekend (1 March), the 25-year-old now has to survive two more matches without another booking or it will be a two-game ban.

Bogle is in the same boat, having received his ninth caution against Sunderland on 17 February, a game Leeds won in dramatic circumstances against promotion rivals at Elland Road.

Sunday’s game is matchday 36 for both sides, and it will be after matchday 37 – a midweek round of fixtures which see Pompey host Plymouth Argyle and Leeds face Millwall (12 March) – when the booking system resets.

Players receiving a 10th yellow card of the season will no longer receive a two-match suspension after the midweek games – a sure sign of relief for both teams and several others with players on the precipice.

Portsmouth to rest Dozzell v Leeds or Plymouth?

There are in fact 10 clubs all in the same boat when it comes to managing a player on nine bookings.

Callum Lang is injured for Portsmouth and will likely miss the rest of the season, but he also stands on nine alongside numerous other Championship players.

It could lead managers to gauge the possibility of a suspension by making a decision on whether to rest the player for one game, so they do not risk avoiding two.

Dozzell has been vitally important to Mousinho of late so it would be a shame to see him take a step back against either Leeds or Plymouth, though the hope is that Freddie Potts is now fit enough to be available to start.

Four players in the division this season have already served two-game bans for hitting double figures in yellows: Preston duo Ali McCann and Ben Whiteman, Norwich’s Callum Doyle, and Sheffield United’s Gus Hamer who now has 11.

It remains to be seen whether Mousinho could take the risk – likewise for Farke with Bogle at Fratton Park – but one thing is for sure, their teammates nearby will be filling in on their combative tackling duties.