Alex Neil shoots down Portsmouth theory ahead of Millwall clash
Portsmouth are preparing to play Millwall on Saturday in what is set to be another tough test for John Mousinho’s side.
Pompey head into the game on the back of an impressive 1-0 win against Blackburn Rovers courtesy of a Josh Murphy goal, which has reduced the pressure on the team ever so slightly.
However, with the run-in only just starting, there’s no time for Pompey to relax, particularly when they only sit five points above the relegation zone at the moment.
Portsmouth will not want to risk dropping any further down the table, which is why their upcoming fixture against Millwall is so important.
Portsmouth’s away form isn’t a concern
One of the reasons the Blues have done so well in pulling away from the relegation zone is because of their form at Fratton Park, as no team in the division has picked up more points at home since the turn of the year.
However, the same cannot be said for their away form, and that’s ultimately why Portsmouth are in the position that they are in the first place.
| Championship | Played | GD | Points |
| 17. Portsmouth | 39 | -14 | 45 |
| 18. Stoke | 39 | -12 | 42 |
| 19. Oxford United | 39 | -17 | 42 |
| 20. Hull | 39 | -9 | 41 |
| 21. Cardiff | 39 | -20 | 40 |
| 22. Derby | 38 | -11 | 38 |
Pompey have had a disastrous run on the road this season as Mousinho’s team have won just twice, which doesn’t give fans much confidence ahead of their trip to London at the weekend.
However, even though supporters of both teams might be discussing this poor run of form for the Blues, it’s not something that Millwall boss Alex Neil is prepared to put too much weight behind.
Instead, he told NewsAtDen, “I don’t think that makes any difference at this level. You look at the results, they’re so sporadic.
“I was watching Portsmouth vs Sheffield United this morning, Portsmouth were really good in the game. So, I don’t think Portsmouth are there to be underestimated, they’re a dangerous team.
“I think because we’re at home, everybody just thinks we’re going to rock up and win the game, it’s certainly not going to be as simple as that. They’ve been a tough opponent for a lot of teams. They’ve beat Leeds and different teams like that this season as well.”
Portsmouth are expected to survive
Even though there is still a long way to go this season, Pompey are expected to survive the drop according to the Opta supercomputer, which will provide encouragement to any supporters who have doubts in their mind.
Portsmouth do have some tough tests ahead of them against teams fighting for promotion and against relegation, which will make this a difficult period for the team.
However, the supercomputer has predicted Pompey to finish in 17th, which is something that fans would likely be more than happy to accept at this moment in time.