Southampton boss Tonda Eckert makes strong Portsmouth admission and sends Blues clear derby warning
Pompey renew their fierce rivalry with Southampton on Sunday.
Tonda Eckert is not underestimating the threat Pompey pose to Southampton in Sunday’s south-coast derby.
But the head coach is confident his side will have the quality to see off John Mousinho’s troops at St Mary’s.
Pompey have, though, had a mixed start to the campaign, picking up eight points from their opening seven Championship matches.
Despite early-season frustrations at Fratton Park, Mousinho’s men claimed a 2-0 triumph over Chelsea in a behind-closed-door friendly during the three-week international break, providing his troops with much-needed minutes ahead of the derby.
Tonda Eckert makes Pompey admission ahead of south-coast derby
And Eckert knows the challenges his Southampton side will face trying to break down the ‘very solid’ Blues.
He said in his pre-match press conference: ‘A good team. Very solid, they don't give you too much. If you look at how much they’ve conceded this year and how much they’ve given away; it’s not a lot. They’re very solid defensively.
‘They played Chelsea in the international break, they beat Chelsea 2-0. Even that shows they’re able to compete on a higher level.
‘But this is a game we play at St Mary's, we have shown time and time again that this is our place and we need to make sure we protect it on Sunday.’
Southampton boss sends Pompey clear derby warning
Last season’s south-coast derby at St Mary’s failed to provide the excitement many expected after its seven-year absence, with both sides playing out a goalless draw in September 2025.
Pompey visit Southampton in the latest encounter in enemy territory with Eckert’s side in strong form at home, winning all four this term.
And although the German has prepared his side for the feisty occasion, he believes his men do have the quality to see off the Blues.
‘I think there is no better game, this is the one we all look forward to, to be on the sideline and make sure we do everything we can to bring this game in our direction.
‘I’m very confident when I see the boys and how they have trained today that they know what it means and that we will leave absolutely everything out on the pitch.
‘You can’t just pretend that this is a normal game and we can’t treat this as a normal game because it is special and it is very particular.
‘It’s then about the balance of how we prepare. I am very sure that all of the players understand the importance of it but at the same time make sure that we play football on the pitch.
‘That’s what the whole week has been about and I am very confident that we will bring this on Sunday.
‘You want to treat home and away games the same but they are different, especially if it comes to a derby.
‘We will approach the game in a different way to how we approached the away game; not from the intensity but the way we are going to approach it tactically.
‘But I am very sure that once we get the football on the pitch, we have the quality that the game goes in our direction.’
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