Portsmouth relegation verdict dropped by Sky pundit after what he didn’t see coming
Portsmouth are currently four points clear of the relegation zone in the Championship heading into the final months of the season as they aim to avoid the drop.
Pompey are enjoying their first season back in the second tier after 12 years in the wilderness below and they will hope to earn a second consecutive season in the Championship.
John Mousinho’s side have had mixed results in recent weeks, with an outstanding victory over Leeds United followed by back-to-back defeats, but there is plenty of cause for optimism.
With eight Championship games remaining this season, Portsmouth’s chances of beating the drop have now been assessed in comparison to the sides around them in the table.
Jobi McAnuff backs Portsmouth to stay in EFL Championship
Portsmouth have four clubs separating themselves and Derby County in 22nd place in the Championship, and they have now been backed to stay up ahead of some of their competitors.
Speaking on the Essential EFL Podcast (42.00, 20/03), Sky Sports pundit Jobi McAnuff claimed that Portsmouth have enough quality to stay in the Championship, and highlighted the Leeds victory as a crucial one.
“Portsmouth, after the Leeds game, I was saying ‘that’s it, they’re safe,” he stated.
“That was because they beat Leeds and they’ve been so good at Fratton Park, but then they go and lose to Plymouth, a result you just don’t see coming.
| Portsmouth’s opponents | Home or away? |
| Blackburn | Home |
| Millwall | Away |
| Coventry City | Away |
| Derby County | Home |
| Norwich City | Away |
| Watford | Home |
| Sheffield Wednesday | Away |
| Hull City | Home |
“I just feel they’ll have enough there to get what they need between now and the end of the season.”
Portsmouth’s most important games to beat relegation
With eight games remaining, Portsmouth are in a fairly strong position to stay up, but things can change very quickly in the Championship, especially after back-to-back defeats.
However, if Pompey can outdo their rivals in the relegation battle, they will certainly increase their chances of survival, and Portsmouth’s strong home form could prove to be vital.
Unfortunately for Mousinho’s side, just two of the eight remaining games are against sides below Pompey in the table, against Derby County and Hull City.
If Portsmouth win both games, it will put more distance between them and the two sides who currently occupy 22nd and 19th place in the Championship respectively, and this could be enough to stay up even if there are further dropped points in the other six matches.
It would be a strong achievement for Pompey to stay up in their first season back in the Championship, and the rest of this season could define how the next few years look as they aim to push higher up the EFL.