Preview: Portsmouth vs. Stevenage

Sports Mole previews Monday’s League One clash between Portsmouth and Stevenage, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Portsmouth will attempt to end a four-game winless run in all competitons when they welcome Stevenage to Fratton Park on Monday.

While the hosts currently sit top of the League One table, the fifth-placed visitors are seven points adrift of their opponents.

Match preview
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Portsmouth may lead the way in the third tier of English football, but they head into the new year off the back of a poor run of results that began with a 5-2 defeat to AFC Wimbledon in the EFL Trophy.

Pompey subsequently returned to league action with a 1-1 draw against Fleetwood Town, before they conceded in stoppage time to lose 2-1 to Bristol Rovers on Boxing Day.

Unfortunately for the South Coast side, they were unable to return to winning ways in Friday’s trip to Devon, as they played out a goalless draw with relegation-threatened Exeter City.

As a result of their dip in form, Pompey have seen their lead at the top of the table cut to two points, while they are just four points clear of the teams chasing from outside the automatic promotion places.

While they will be targeting a win in Monday’s encounter, Portsmouth will fancy their chances of picking up at least a point, having lost just one of their 12 home league games this season (W7, D4).

Unlike their hosts, Stevenage were not in action on Friday after their home clash with Cambridge United was postponed following a floodlight failure at the Lamex Stadium.

Although they were unable to take to the pitch against the U’s, Stevenage were victorious against Northampton Town in their most recent outing on Boxing Day.

Jamie Reid and Jordan Roberts grabbed a goal apiece in the first half, before Elliott List found the net in the 67th minute to wrap up a commanding 3-0 victory.

Having enjoyed a successful campaign up until this point, Steve Evans’s side currently sit in the League One playoff positions, with five points seprating them from second-placed Bolton Wanderers, while they are one point clear of Barnsley in seventh spot.

Stevenage will be well aware of the tough task that awaits them on Monday, but they will take confidence from the fact they have lost just one of their previous 11 matches in the third tier (W6, D4).

Portsmouth League One form:

Portsmouth form (all competitions):

Stevenage League One form:

Stevenage form (all competitions):

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Team News
Pompey are still unable to call upon the services of Regan Poole, Connor Ogilvie, Zach Swanson, Tom Lowery and Tino Anjorin.

Wales international Joe Morrell and Norwich City loanee Abu Kamara could return to the side after dropping down to the bench against Exeter.

Colby Bishop will continue to lead the line for the home side, having scored 12 goals in his 22 league appearances this season.

As for the visitors, Evans could be tempted to name an unchanged lineup after seeing his team cruise past Northampton on Boxing Day.

The Stevenage squad boasts several players who will be familiar with Monday’s opponents as Dan Butler, Nathan Thompson, Ben Thompson and Louis Thompson have all previously plied their trade for Portsmouth.

Meanwhile, Reid will offer one of the visitors’ main goal threats after scoring his 14th league goal of the season in the club’s most recent outing.

Portsmouth possible starting lineup:
Norris; Rafferty, Raggett, Shaughnessy, Sparkes; Morrell, Pack; Kamara, Robertson, Lane; Bishop

Stevenage possible starting lineup:
Ashby-Harris; Wildin, Sweeney, Piergianni, Butler; L. Thompson, Burns; List, Freeman, Roberts; Reid

We say: Portsmouth 1-1 Stevenage
The two sides played out a goalless affair when they met at the Lamex Stadium in August, and with Portsmouth experiencing a dip in form, we think they could be held to another draw in their first outing of the new year.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 2.5:data

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