Can Portsmouth FC avoid relegation?

However, they’re only averaging one point per match this time around. This means that Pompey are propped just above the drop zone and a scrap against relegation appears to be on the cards.

There’s still twenty-six matches of the season left and nobody is pressing the panic button. Sheffield Wednesday are already consigned to League One next term by virtue of actually having a minus points total. However, Norwich are in 23rd place at the time of writing and there will be expectation that the Canaries can climb their way out of trouble.

Oxford are currently the other side stationed in the drop zone, although they’re only a point worse off than Portsmouth. Perhaps Charlton Athletic, Swansea City and Blackburn Rovers are the other vulnerable sides that the Hampshire outfit will look to finish ahead in order to keep their place in the second tier.

Bookies expect Pompey to stay in Championship again

The latest Championship Relegation market at a selection of the best Irish betting sites makes for interesting reading. With Sheffield Wednesday already doomed, Portsmouth’s aim is to finish above two other teams. Their current odds for the drop are 6/4 (2.50) which makes them one of the favourites to return to the third tier.

However, that price suggests that Mousinho’s men only have a 40% implied probability of going down. The bookies therefore think that there’s a roughly 60% chance of survival. While it might be a close-run thing, the current data from all the matches have given the bet calculator tool the information that a Portsmouth relegation is not on the cards.

Oxford are the 8/13 (1.61) favourites for the drop and the U’s are another team who are enduring a difficult second season in the Championship. Gary Rowett’s team are currently a point worse off than Portsmouth having played a game more and these odds suggest a roughly 62% chance that they will suffer relegation.

Interestingly, Norwich are now regarded as strong contenders for the drop. They began the season with Liam Manning in charge and have since hired Philippe Clement to get them out of bother. However, the Canaries can’t achieve any sort of lift-off right now and there’s been a humble total of seventeen points generated from twenty-one matches.

Can Portsmouth kick on after beating Blackburn?

To say that the Blues needed a win against Rovers was an understatement. Since beating Middlesbrough in early October, they had been enduring a torrid run throughout autumn and into winter. Seven of those ensuing ten clashes had ended in a defeat and only one in a victory. That was a 3-1 triumph against Millwall on 22 November.

Following that victory, there had been three straight defeats against Sheffield United, Bristol City and Swansea City. The most worrying aspect about those losses is that Mousinho’s team failed to score a single goal. They had defender Terry Devlin sent off at Bramall Lane before being defeated 3-0 against an improving Blades side.

Then came that 1-0 home reverse against the Robins where Pompey registered just two shots on target all game. It wasn’t a whole lot better at the Liberty Stadium where the south coast side managed three efforts on target in a fairly tight game. In the end, they were beaten by a late goal from opposition who themselves had been struggling for form.

However, it was a far brighter display against Blackburn and a deserved victory in the end. Having fallen behind to a Yuki Ohashi goal in the first-half, Portsmouth showed plenty of character to turn the game on its head. Callum Lang’s first goal of the season restored parity before Ibane Bowat notched a winner that sent Fratton Park into raptures.

Pompey festive fixtures look attractive

It’s clear that Portsmouth’s Fratton Park form holds the key to their Championship survival once again. Forty of their fifty-four points accrued last term came in front of their own supporters. Indeed, they only tasted defeat five times at home and there are some attractive fixtures where more points can hopefully be landed.

Pompey head to Pride Park on 20 December to face a Derby County side that beat them 4-0 in the same fixture last season. However, the Rams are not in great form and this game is followed by a double header at Fratton Park. They host Queens Park Rangers on Boxing Day before clashing with Charlton Athletic a few days later. The team will be favourites for both games but remember to gamble responsibly if you’re having a wager.

Mousinho will be targeting a minimum of five points from these three matches and the hope is that the total will be closer to seven. Beating Charlton is especially important considering that they could be one of the teams involved in a relegation scrap come the end of the campaign. It’s definitely a view held by bettingwebsites.co.uk right now.

Following on from these games, there are trickier encounters against Bristol City and Ipswich before a headline FA Cup tie against Arsenal. Then comes a trip to Hillsborough where Portsmouth will hope to benefit from their opponents’ shortcomings. There’s then the small matter of a Hampshire derby at the end of January where Southampton are hosted!

How can Portsmouth score more goals this season?

It’s clear to see where the problems lie for the team during the 2025/26 campaign so far. During their first twenty matches played thus far, the net has bulged just seventeen times and that explains their lowly position. Callum Lang might just be the man to start delivering for Portsmouth and it’s clear that the team have missed a forward who has spent the majority of the season sidelined with injury. The striker found the net ten times in a Pompey shirt last season including an incredible four goals in one game against Coventry and will now hope for a clear run in the team.

It's clear that Mousinho sees Lang as the first-choice number nine at Fratton Park, with the 27-year-old still having the potential to improve his game and become prolific at this level. It’s also possible that the club will be looking towards the January transfer window as a time where they can potentially recruit additional firepower.

After notching eleven goals last term, Colby Bishop has struggled this time around and it might be that the former Accrington forward is farmed out on loan next month, with Mousinho certainly needing to find a reliable attacking option to ensure that the team are kept safe.

Will Portsmouth pull off a huge FA Cup shock against Arsenal?

Portsmouth have five Championship matches between now and 4 January, with three of these games being at Fratton Park. They will hope to have some breathing space near the foot of the table before they tackle Arsenal in a high-profile FA Cup.

It’s an attractive tie against the Premier League leaders and a little bit of respite for the players before they return to the task of keeping themselves afloat in the division. The game takes place on Sunday 11 January and Pompey will hope that they can take advantage against opponents who look certain to rest players for the encounter.

We know that Fratton Park can be a fortress and a full house will give them a puncher’s chance of securing a victory against opponents whose priorities are the Premier League title and the Champions League crown. They’re also likely to be in a Carabao Cup semi-final by this stage which means a potentially hectic fixture schedule.

Although the betting odds will make Portsmouth the big outsider, it shouldn’t be forgotten that FA Cup shocks still happen frequently and that includes Plymouth Argyle’s surprise win over Liverpool last term. Perhaps Mousinho’s men can be the surprise story of the round, with fans using their free bets to take an interest.

Can Pompey beat Saints and boost second flight survival hopes?

It will also be interesting to see the Championship match odds when the second derby of the season happens on Sunday 25 January. It was honours even at St Mary’s when the arch-rivals met on Sunday 14 September, with a tight affair ending in a goalless draw although the Portsmouth supporters will be baying for a victory in the reverse fixture.

Home advantage could be key and perhaps Pompey will be betting favourites to land a victory that might not just provide three points. The confidence potentially drawn from a win against hated opponents could end up propelling Mousinho’s team to another safe finish in the Championship. It’s an outcome that all supporters would gladly take at this moment in time.

While wins have been scarce so far, it’s possible that the current campaign could mirror last term where Portsmouth looked to be in a sticky situation going into the festive period. However, they were able to collect four consecutive home wins between 21 December and 22 January when toppling Coventry City, Swansea City, Middlesbrough and Stoke City.

Please Gamble Responsibly

When the fun stops, stop

#BeGambleAware

· This content is from an affiliate company, which profiles and reviews gambling providers