‘Very hard to see’: Sky Sports pundit makes Portsmouth survival verdict as fight intensifies with Leicester and Oxford United
Pompey sit one point above the relegation zone ahead of Saturday’s trip to promotion-chasing Middlesbrough.
Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman has admitted he’s fearing the worst over Pompey in the race to remain in the Championship.
And the 59-year-old has delivered his verdict over the Blues’ tough run-in as the fight for survival continues with Oxford United, Leicester City & Co.
John Mousinho’s men are back in action on Saturday as they visit promotion-chasing Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.
Pompey make the long trip to the north east without a win in any of their previous eight league matches, but still crucially remain one point above the relegation zone.
It continues the Blues’ action-packed season finale, which will see them face Boro, Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Coventry City, Stoke City and Birmingham City in the final three weeks of the campaign.
Mousinho’s troops do, though, face all of the current top three between now and May 2, making their challenge to beat the drop even more difficult.
Sky Sports pundit shares Pompey run-in concerns in survival fight
And that run-in is of huge concern to Goodman, who has assessed Pompey’s remaining six fixtures as they bid to avoid a first return to League One in two years.
Speaking on Sky Sports News, the former Wolves, Sunderland and West Brom ace said: ‘They’re not being dragged into it, they’re in it. I think John Mousinho would acknowledge that.
‘To have to play the top three, it doesn’t get much harder than that.
‘At this stage with the way they’re struggling to score goals, it’s very hard to see them get very much out of that run of games but it is a run of games in which they must get something from those games.
‘If they take nothing from those games, I would fear the worst if I’m honest with you.
‘The likes of West Brom have picked up - unbeaten in six - above them Blackburn Rovers - two massive wins in the last four games.
Those two have just got that little bit of a jump and that little bit of a cushion so it really does almost look like two from Leicester City, Portsmouth and Oxford United. A horrible battle down at that end (of the table).
‘If you talk about pressure, that’s where the real genuine pressure happens when teams are trying to survive.’
Championship survival battle assessed
The Blues came from behind to earn a point against relegation rivals Oxford United on Easter Monday, which keeps them just above the dotted line heading into the latest round of fixtures.
Back-to-back home games are then next on the agenda for Mousinho’s men as they face second-placed Ipswich Town before the huge showdown against 22nd-placed Leicester City.
Pompey then face trips to Coventry City, who could have already sealed promotion prior to their visit to the CBS Arena on April 21, and mid-table Stoke City.
Mousinho’s troops then round-off the campaign against Birmingham City at Fratton Park, with the battle to beat the drop potentially going to the final day.
One point currently separates Oxford United, Leicester City and the Blues, while West Brom currently sit four points clear of the bottom three.