'We talked about' - Bristol City boss makes Fratton Park claim after win against Portsmouth
The Bristol City manager reflected on his side's mixed fortunes against Portsmouth in the Championship this season.
Bristol City manager Liam Manning admitted his side’s 3-0 defeat at Portsmouth earlier this month acted as an inspiration for their clinical performance in Sunday’s win over John Mousinho’s men.
Just over three weeks have passed since an opening goal from Colby Bishop and second-half strikes from Josh Murphy and Callum Lang helped Pompey boost their hopes of extending their stay in the Championship beyond a solitary season with what was a comfortable home win against the Robins. However, the boot was on the other foot on Sunday afternoon as Manning’s side made light work of Portsmouth with a dominant display that gained full revenge at Ashton Gate.
The quarter-hour mark had just passed when Anis Mehmeti put the Robins in front before doubling his own tally and their lead with 32 minutes on the clock. Things went from bad to worse for Mousinho and his players as defender Rob Dickie extended the lead to three just moments later and that killed off any hope Pompey had of claiming anything from their trip to Bristol.
The win means the Robins lie just four points shy of the Championship play-offs - and Manning revealed he is looking forward to what could lie ahead for his side after they were inspired to a fine win by their recent defeat against Pompey.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, the Robins boss said: “Of course, we talked about what had happened away at Portsmouth when we got what we deserved on the night. It was a spur to make sure we did better today and I couldn’t be happier with the performance. We brought Anis Mehmeti and Nahki Wells into the starting line-up and their contributions again illustrated the depth we now have to our squad. Competition for places is fierce.
“With just over half the season gone, we are four points off the play-offs and I believe there are clear signs of progress. It is for the fans to dream of what might be between now and May. I want them to enjoy the journey, so why not? Our recruitment team have ensured we have players possessing the necessary physicality, as well as the ability to do well. But it will only pay off if we continue working hard. We will enjoy this win tonight, but every match is a challenge and it’s straight back tomorrow to focus on the next fixture.”
Portsmouth return to action on New Years Day when Swansea City are the visitors to Fratton Park.