Johannes Hoff Thorup warns Norwich over one Portsmouth star
Portsmouth can further bolster their chances of Championship survival with a victory at Norwich on Good Friday.
John Mousinho’s men have not managed an away victory since their 2-0 win at Oxford on 15 February, but will be looking to change that as they aim to steer clear of trouble.
Last time out, Pompey salvaged a 2-2 draw with relegation rivals Derby thanks to defender Rob Atkinson’s late equaliser.
The Blues are now looking to add three points to their tally for the first time since a 1-0 victory over Blackburn on 29 March.
Norwich boss praises Josh Murphy at Portsmouth
Portsmouth talisman Josh Murphy is a Norwich academy graduate who made over 100 appearances for the Canaries, on either side of loan spells with Wigan and MK Dons.
The wideman will now be looking to cause problems for Pompey against his current club at Carrow Road on 18 April, to extend the four-point gap to the bottom three.
| Josh Murphy stats | Championship 2024/25 |
| Appearances | 38 |
| Goals | 7 |
| Assists | 11 |
Norwich boss Johannes Hoff Thorup outlined Murphy and Portsmouth’s danger in his press conference on Thursday, saying: “We have to be aware that he’s a threat for them.
“There’s many good players there. Some of their home results, they can be a threat from anywhere. They can cause some problems, they can bring dangerous passes.”
Norwich are ideal opponents for Pompey to face
Easter weekend marks crunch time in the Championship for sides either chasing promotion or battling against relegation, and Portsmouth are certainly no exception to that.
However, Norwich can already begin planning for next season as they no longer boast realistic playoff aspirations and have already guaranteed their Championship status.
Hoff Thorup’s men have less at stake than that of Mousinho’s men, so the onus is on Pompey to head to Carrow Road and do all they can to clinch victory.
As alluded to by the Norwich boss, there are areas where Portsmouth are capable of hurting the Canaries, while Murphy will be willing to put on a show against his former club and take his current side one step closer to Championship safety.
If Mousinho and Co can get the better of Hoff Thorup’s side, they will head into their clash with Watford at Fratton Park on Easter Monday with massive confidence.