Murphy out in four changes – Portsmouth predicted XI v Sheffield Wed
John Mousinho is expected to make several changes to his Portsmouth side to take on Sheffield Wednesday this weekend.
Pompey secured survival on Easter Monday against Watford (21 April) and head into their final two fixtures knowing Championship football is on the table next season.
The Blues have run themselves into the ground to get the job done, and with neither side playing for anything other than professional pride, Mousinho could make wholesale changes and drop some big guns.
Josh Murphy and Colby Bishop could come out of Portsmouth XI
Mousinho‘s starting XIs have been difficult to predict at the best of times this season, but Saturday’s trip to Hillsborough (26 April) could see a few different players thrown in.
The projection is that around four changes could be made, with Josh Murphy and Colby Bishop – the former suffering a knock on Monday and Bishop with cramp – could be rested, with Cohen Bramall a candidate for the left wing and Kusini Yengi, without a goal this season, given a starting berth up front.
Jordan Williams has been ruled out for the final two games of the season and Adil Aouchiche has a fractured wrist which limits his physical ability. In their place, Terry Devlin and Christian Saydee could both slot in.
Andre Dozzell will be hoping for a midfield recall, but Mousinho may prefer to get what he can out of loan duo Freddie Potts and Isaac Hayden, who were brilliant against Watford.
While the chance remains relatively slim, Pompey fans would definitely love to see one or two youngsters from the academy included in the matchday squad.
Teenage forward Tayo Singerr picked up the Academy Player of the Season award for his performances in Sam Hudson’s Under-18 side this season, and would be the best bet to be given the nod to travel with the senior team.
Sheffield Wednesday clash sees the pressure off for Pompey
Portsmouth certainly delivered under pressure over the Easter weekend, picking up maximum points from their two games – especially eyebrow-raising on the road when they blasted five past Norwich City (18 April).
It will now be intriguing to see how Pompey perform with the shackles off. Mousinho and the squad will want to deliver a performance for the away fans travelling up to South Yorkshire, and they will be in carnival mood.
| Portsmouth – Easter victories | Date |
| Norwich 3-5 Portsmouth | 18 April |
| Portsmouth 1-0 Watford | 21 April |
Sheffield Wednesday, on the other hand, may have been safe for some time but fans are disgruntled with the ownership, and protests are expected to take place at Hillsborough.
Pompey could make it three straight wins with victory on the day, setting them up nicely to host Hull City on the final day of the campaign at Fratton Park (3 May).