Portsmouth relegation odds drop after agonising Preston North End defeat
Portsmouth suddenly look in a far more precarious position for survival than they did just six days ago after their latest heartache.
An away following well in excess of 3,000 fans took to Preston North End on Saturday only to see the Blues go down 2-1 via a late decider at Deepdale (15 March).
Following their midweek defeat to Plymouth Argyle at Fratton Park by the same scoreline, already last weekend’s superb win over Leeds United seems a distant memory for those in Portsmouth.
Portsmouth relegation odds slashed
Colby Bishop’s latest Championship goal looked as if it would be enough for Portsmouth to at least claim a draw from their long trip to Lancashire, but to concede a second with three minutes to go was brutal.
Pompey remain 17th but now have the chasing pack breathing down their necks with three of the seven competitors below them claiming wins on Saturday.
As a result, the odds of the Blues making an immediate plummet back down to League One have narrowly shortened to 10/1 with Sky Bet, from a previous 12/1 price.
The latest Opta supercomputer update still only sees Portsmouth with a 3.92 per cent chance of suffering the drop this year, but supporters have grown in concern after back-to-back losses.
The international break now beckons as several of the squad venture away to represent their nations at various age levels, before returning to host Blackburn Rovers at Fratton Park (29 March).
Mousinho angered by performance at Preston
Before the turn of the year, Portsmouth owner Michael Eisner promised fans at Fratton Park that they would not see their team relegated this season.
It was considered a brazen statement to make at the time, given Pompey occupied the drop zone for much of the first half of the campaign before their form improved and some decent January business was completed.
But performances like the last two have not helped their cause, even despite the injury list John Mousinho has battled against all season long.
| Portsmouth – last five results | |
| 15 March | Preston 2-1 Portsmouth |
| 12 March | Portsmouth 1-2 Plymouth |
| 9 March | Portsmouth 1-0 Leeds |
| 1 March | Luton 1-0 Portsmouth |
| 22 February | Portsmouth 2-1 QPR |
The head coach was left seething at his Portsmouth outfit after the defeat at Deepdale, admitting he has been “far too kind” on his players for “far too long” – particularly lamenting the nature of the performance after equalising through Bishop with seven minutes left.
With eight games to play, the consideration is that around another 11 points minimum will be needed to secure safety based on previous Championship history.