Preview: Portsmouth vs Sheffield United - prediction, team news, lineups

Portsmouth and Sheffield United will both be looking to bounce back from narrow defeats when they face off in Saturday's clash at Fratton Park.

Pompey are down in 20th spot in the Championship table, while the Blades are six points better off in 17th position.

Match preview

Portsmouth may have at least two games in hand on the teams around them, but they still face a real battle to retain their Championship status, with just a point separating them from the bottom three.

Pompey recently enjoyed a four-game unbeaten run before they fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat against Preston North End last Saturday.

The result represented Portsmouth's seventh defeat in 14 away league matches and their first Championship defeat since losing 5-0 to Bristol City on New Year's Day.

Pompey will now return to Fratton Park, where they have avoided defeat in each of their last five Championship home matches (W2, D3).

They tended to be a strong defensive force on home turf, having conceded no more than one goal in any of their previous nine league games at Fratton Park since losing 2-1 to Coventry City in October (W4, D3, L2).

The hosts can also take confidence from the fact that they have won three of their previous four home meetings with the Blades (D1).

Having won 12, drawn three and lost 16 of their 31 league games, Sheffield United are sitting seven points clear of the bottom three and eight points adrift of the top six.

With that in mind, the Blades know that a strong run of results in their final 15 league games could see them challenge for a second consecutive playoff appearance, while a poor run of form could leave them nervously looking over their shoulder at the bottom three.

Chris Wilder's side appeared to be on the up with a return of seven points from three games before they were stopped in their tracks by Monday's 2-1 defeat to promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough.

Patrick Bamford halved the deficit in the 73rd minute at Bramall Lane, but a red card for debutant Joe Rothwell effectively ended Sheffield United's hopes of salvaging a point.

The Blades will now be focusing on Saturday's trip to Fratton Park, with the visitors aiming for their first league double over Pompey in 30 years after cruising to a 3-0 home win in November.

However, that will be easier said than done for a team that have not beaten Portsmouth away from home since January 2003.

Portsmouth Championship form:

L W D D W L

Portsmouth form (all competitions):

L W D D W L

Sheffield United Championship form:

L L W D W L

Team News

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho has revealed that Keshi Anderson will miss six to eight weeks with a hamstring injury.

Anderson joins a list of attacking absentees that features Josh Murphy, Florian Bianchini, Harvey Blair, Franco Umeh and Thomas Waddingham

The hosts are also without Josh Knight, Hayden Matthews, Conor Shaughnessy and Mark Kosznovszky.

Striker Colby Bishop faces a battle to prove his fitness after missing the defeat to Preston with an ankle issue.

Meanwhile, Sheffield United midfielder Jairo Riedewald remains a doubt after missing the last six matches with a hamstring problem.

Rothwell will start his three-match ban after being sent off for a dangerous challenge on his Sheffield United debut.

Kalvin Phillips could be given more minutes off the bench as he looks to build up his match sharpness following his loan move from Manchester City.

In the final third, Bamford will be looking to continue his fine form after netting seven times in 14 league games.

Portsmouth possible starting lineup:

Schmid; Devlin, Poole, Ogilvie, Swanson; Dozzell, Adams; Segecic, Chaplin, Alli; Brown

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Seriki, Tanganga, Bindon, Burrows; Arblaster, Peck; Brooks, O'Hare, Hamer; Bamford

We say: Portsmouth 1-2 Sheffield United

Sheffield United may not have the best record at Fratton Park, but they made light work of the south coast side in November's reverse fixture, and we think they possess the extra quality required to claim another victory on Saturday.

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