‘That counts for something in a relegation battle’: EFL expert's Portsmouth survival shout and calls best side in south-coast derby with Southampton

Pompey are showing the ‘character’ required in a relegation as a new cult hero emerges at Fratton Park

And EFL experts, Not The Top 20, have called John Mousinho’s side as the better outfit in the final verdict on the south-coast derby with Southampton.

NTT20 pundit, Ali Maxwell, has also lauded the emergence of Ebou Adam as a new Fratton favourite - and exactly the kind of January signing required at PO4.

Sunday’s clash with Pompey’s rivals from up the M27 saw a 1-1 draw played out, making it one defeat in seven with 12 points collected along the way.

Maxwell detects the kind of resolve required from Mousinho’s side as they fight a crippling injury list, with goalscorer Adams epitomising their character.

Maxwell said in their latest podcast: ‘Adams is a new signing for Portsmouth and is just immediately adding what they needed in the centre of the park, in terms of ball winning and athleticism.

EFL expert: ‘I like the personality of Pompey’

‘He is a threat from set-pieces, I think he got six goals in all comps for Derby last season.

‘It was a massively valuable goal and cult hero status for Adams already, who is frankly always a popular player wherever he plays.

‘Portsmouth definitely deserved to equalise, but I’m not sure any team deserved to win if that makes sense.

‘But Pompey are showing some character, as they have done recently. It’s three wins, four draws and one defeat in the last eight.

‘It’s not a sexy return, but I like the personality of the team. That counts for something in a relegation battle.

‘For Southampton, it’s one win in none - and another pretty poor performance.’

In terms of the south-coast derby, Maxwell delivered a balanced assessment of what unfolded in a high-octane clash.

He viewed the Blues as having the best of it in the first half, though Adam Armstrong had the clearest sight of goal for the visitors. The call was it was Pompey who were the superior outfit in the final reckoning, too, as he assessed the game’s key moments.

He added: ‘It was a more eventful game than the one at St Mary’s, with Pompey making the running in the first half, but Adam Armstrong had the biggest chance despite Portsmouth looking the better side to my eyes.

‘That was pretty much the case in the second half as well, Portsmouth looked like the better side overall but really weren’t executing in the final third and didn’t look particularly dialled in on that front.

‘Then, like so many before them over the last week, they conceded from their own set-piece.

‘A counter-attack when a clearance was plucked out of the sky by Finn Azaz who shifted it forward to Leo Scienza breaking forward and finishing well.

NTT20: Pompey ‘better’ than Southampton in south-coast derby

‘Because Saints had done that annoying rival thing of turning Portsmouth around having won the toss, meaning Pompey didn’t attack the Fratton End in the second half as they ordinarily would. It meant Scienza’s goal having to run along the whole length of the pitch cupping his ear to the Portsmouth fans, which was one of the more iconic celebrations of the season so far.

‘As someone said a Mexican Wave of Portsmouth fans standing up in order to shout at him, as he ran past celebrating. That was pretty sensational.

‘But it gave Ebou Adams the opportunity to do the same, equalising through sheer force of will - forcing the ball home, heading the ball down on to his wrist, his arm or his hand and the ball going in on the line not spotted by the ref.

‘I’m not too fussed personally that the goal should’ve been disallowed.’

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