Portsmouth

Mandeep Sanghera
BBC Sport journalist

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The main action taking place at Liverpool on deadline day is concerning their younger players and the club weighing up whether to keep them at Anfield or send them out on loan for experience.

It seems likely that Reds forward Jayden Danns, 19, will be allowed to go out on loan to Sunderland, while winger Kaide Gordon, 20, will join Portsmouth until the end of the season.

Liverpool's 20-year-old midfielder James McConnell, who impressed manager Arne Slot in a Champions League defeat at PSV Eindhoven last week, will be staying put.

Follow live transfer updates on deadline day

Andrew Moon
BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator

Portsmouth have shown they can compete with anyone at Fratton Park and they certainly matched promotion chasing Burnley.

Both sides will come away thinking they could have stolen it 1-0.

Atkinson and Shaughnessy looked a very solid centre-back pairing, keeping them fit will be important.

Portsmouth created a few opportunities but as with the past few games were not at their best in the opposition box.

Colby Bishop should have at least hit the target with his late chance.

Burnley are a curious side. Extremely solid at the back but nothing more than an average mid-table side going forwards.

It's odd that a side with the huge financial advantage of parachute payments can't offer more going forwards.

It could be a quiet transfer deadline day for Portsmouth. It's possible they don't add to the six they've brought in already

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Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho felt his side deserved more than just a point from an impressive display in the 0-0 draw against high-flying Burnley at Fratton Park.

Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent: "I'm probably slightly disappointed with just taking a point given the chances we created.

"They have one of the best defensive records in the country and you can see why. If you get chances, the goalkeeper bails them them - he's absolutely superb.

"But I'm really happy with the performance against a top side in the league. Building on that is the most important thing.

"We need to take the positives from performances like that and start believing in ourselves a bit more."

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Portsmouth's new centre-back Hayden Matthews impressed on his debut against Millwall on Tuesday night despite the 1-0 defeat, according to former Pompey defender Lee Brown.

The Australia defender's move to Fratton Park from Sydney FC was only confirmed the day before the Championship game with the Lions but he went straight into the starting line-up.

"For a 20-year-old to go in after just getting off a plane, I think he did exceptionally well," Brown told BBC Radio Solent's "Who Needs Mourinho?" podcast.

"He won the majority of his headers, on the ball he looked composed. He was firing the ball out to the full-backs. I thought he defended well. You can look at the goal, but was he isolated by people around him?

"You shouldn't really be in that position from a defender's point of view. You should have some bodies around you.

"I certainly think you've got a player there. You can tell, little movements and little things that he does on the ball, you can just tell he's got a little bit."

Brown, who made 131 appearances for Pompey between 2018 and 2022, said it was "incredible" how Matthews has handled arriving in a new country and playing in front of 20,000 fans within a week of joining.

"I remember being 20, I was at QPR making my debut and I was a nervous wreck - I thought 'I'm out of my depth here' and it was daunting," Brown said.

"It's incredible how he's handled it really. People don't realise how young 20 is, moving country, so the mentality from him is incredible.

"He must have a really good head on his shoulders because he didn't look nervous, he didn't look out of place."

Listen to the "Who Needs Mourinho?" podcast on BBC Sounds.

Portsmouth have lost their past two games and saw their seven-game unbeaten run at Fratton Park ended by Millwall on Tuesday night.

Pompey welcome promotion-chasing Burnley on Saturday afternoon, who are one point off the top two and unbeaten in their past 16 games (W9 D7).

• After remaining unbeaten across their ten league games against Burnley between 1995 and 2010, Portsmouth have since won just one of their past five against the Clarets (D1 L3).

• Burnley have won their past two away league games against Portsmouth and will be looking to win three in succession at Fratton Park for the first time.

• Portsmouth have won each of their past four home league matches and will be looking to win five in a row in the second tier for the first time since February/March 2003 (5).

• Burnley are unbeaten across their past eight away league games (W6 D2), keeping seven clean sheets in the process. The Clarets last enjoyed a longer undefeated run on the road between December 2022 and September 2023 (14 games) during which they were promoted to the Premier League.

• Josh Brownhill has netted nine goals for Burnley in the Championship this season, already his most in a single league campaign in English football. Indeed, his five away goals are also his most in a league season to date.

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Rotherham boss Steve Evans says Millers defender Cohen Bramall's rumoured move to Portsmouth is far from a done deal.

Speaking in a news conference on Thursday, Evans told BBC Radio Sheffield the switch is not as close as some have made out but talks remain ongoing.

"The clubs are in dialogue," Evans said.

"Some people are perhaps running away with themselves, he's been training today. The clubs are talking but nothing has been confirmed."

BBC Radio Solent reported on Thursday morning that Pompey's interest in the former Arsenal, Colchester and Lincoln left-back has been ongoing for a few weeks.

They also said that Portsmouth boss John Mousinho is keen to bring Bramall in to bolster the Blues' ranks before Monday's deadline.

Image source, Rex Features

Portsmouth are keen on adding both Cohen Bramall and Adil Aouchiche to their squad before the transfer deadline, reports BBC Radio Solent.

The Blues are looking to sign Bramall permanently and Sunderland's Aouchiche on a loan deal.

Left-back Bramall currently plays for Rotherham and was signed by Arsenal from non-league side Hednesford Town back in 2017.

Attacking midfielder Aouchiche came through Paris Saint-Germain's academy and has made eight Championship appearances for Sunderland this season.

Dan George and Andrew Moon
BBC Sport, South

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Portsmouth boss John Mousinho says he is hoping to still bring in "at least two" more signings before Monday's transfer deadline.

The Blues have signed four players this month, two loans and two permanent, as they prepare for the final months of the season in which they will hope to remain a Championship side.

"We feel pretty good about the position we're in (with transfers)," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent.

"There's a lot of positivity but it is one of those where I think you will see a lot of activity and movement over the next few days moving up until the close of the window.

"We don't have an exact number in terms of incomings but there will be I think hopefully at least two if we can get them done then great, we're just keeping it open and flexible."

The Blues are just two points above the relegation zone in 21st place but despite their current precarious position above the bottom three, Mousinho feels there is no need for panic.

"I don't think it is going to be make or break for us with signings," Mousinho added.

"We have shown that we can be competitive and mix it with good sides, we want to strengthen and we want to be better coming out of the window than we went in.

"If we can get the signings that we want then we'll be in a great position, there's still a bit of scope for movement in the squad with ins and outs."

One recent blow for Portsmouth was news of in form full-back Jordan Williams picking up an injury.

The 25-year-old was having a scan on his injured hamstring on Wednesday.

Tom Chappell
Fan writer from Fournilwrittenalloverit

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Last night against Millwall was one of those tight games in the Championship where scoring first pretty much wins you the game, and that's exactly what we saw.

Millwall were fashionably well prepared for their night in Fratton, and actually provided Pompey with a bit of a blueprint in terms of conduct away from home.

Take your chance, sit in and be solid, defend your box well and by and large you'll come away with the plus three.

Our profit recently has come from our aggressive work without the ball - yet Millwall set up in such a way that there was simply no Pompey press, because there was nothing for us to press!

The Lions roared back to London with a win which they fully deserved.

The outcome was perhaps more troubling considering this was Pompey's salient game in hand on those around us - and feels like an opportunity passed up.

Last night could have put some daylight between us and others, instead we remain in a rather dubious league spot with a handful of undeniably tricky Championship assignments ahead of us. Yet, I still find myself citing numerous positives.

Pompey now have plenty of recognisable options at centre-back.

The biggest home crowd cheer of the night was Conor Shaughnessy's return to competitive action, and an eye-catching debut from new boy Hayden Matthews.

He showed impressive pace, demonstrated his height being an attribute of his but not wholly dependent on it, and sprayed a number of picture perfect passes too.

There were also plenty of chances in the game for us too - the execution of those of course was nowhere near where it needed to be, but it's not as if Pompey created nothing meaningful all evening.

Yes it's a blow considering where an alternative outcome from last night could have put us - but I certainly wouldn't be pushing any panic buttons.

It's a critical week in which offensive incomings must be prioritised, particularly to provide Pompey with some more options out wide - and I'd argue another left-back is necessary.

Connor Ogilvie went through the wars and found himself on the deck a few times last night - if, heaven forbid, anything were to happen to him, Callum Lang, or Josh Murphy for that matter then that would leave Pompey incredibly exposed.

Fingers crossed we get ahead of the game and negate that concern altogether.

Andrew Moon
BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator

Image source, Rex Features

Pompey's incredible home run was always going to come to an end at some point and they weren't bad on Tuesday night but did not win the key moments.

There was no playing out from the back from Millwall, something Pompey have become experts at taking advantage of.

This was not a team you want to fall behind against - the visitors' defending was outstanding.

Goals have been a problem at times this season and Pompey weren't at their sharpest in front of goal. They need to re-find that clinical edge.

The Championship table looks precarious again, especially with tough matches against Burnley and Sheffield United in the next 10 days.

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho says the fixture list has been "absolutely brutal" because of postponed matches and potentially cost Pompey points.

A waterlogged pitch saw Portsmouth's trip to Blackburn on 23 November called off, before a power failure at Fratton Park four days later forced the Millwall game to be postponed.

Both of those matches were rearranged as midweek fixtures for this month with Pompey losing 3-0 at Ewood Park on 15 January and welcoming the Lions tonight (28 January).

"It's just fallen all in one month where it's just been extremely heavy with the travel as well," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent.

"As we spoke about at the weekend, it's probably come at the detriment to some results."

Portsmouth's 5-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday was their seventh game in 25 days and one in which they made five changes to cope with the congestion.

When asked whether it was the last game he will have to make "significant rotations", Mousinho said: "I think it will be.

"We always had in mind last week that if we could get through this period, what we will have going into the two games this week is hopefully some fresh legs off the back of being rested on Saturday.

"It's probably going to be the last one [that we make significant rotations]. Don't hold me to that."

Mousinho also said there was "a bit of activity to be done" in the January transfer window.

"There are some deals to be done," he added.

Tom Chappell
Fan writer from Fournilwrittenalloverit

Image source, Rex Features

If the Pompey team performed to the standard set by the travelling fans in away ends up and down the land, we'd be top of the league.

Much to the disappointment of the 2,500+ who made the journey to The Hawthorns, it was embarrassment number five to add to a scarily ever-growing list of annihilations on the road this season.

The expectation for many was that John Mousinho would rotate his players, given the unforgiving schedule afforded to us since the start of January.

I doubt many would say they have any issue with rotation. These are human beings playing in the Championship, not fatigue-immune robots.

Where the issue lies, is when rotation is made - in Saturday's case, five swaps from the team that convincingly beat Stoke - Pompey seem to completely throw the game away within the blink of an eye. Two Nico Schmid errors and it's game, set and match to the Baggies.

It's easy to make a case for Mousinho's actions - survival comes first and foremost. Shuffle the squad and manage the fitness of players accordingly for winnable games is entirely plausible.

Rotation is okay. Rotation that means we have to play a right-back on the wing and offer our centre-forward no support… not okay.

The announcement of the incredibly exciting Hayden Matthews will I'm sure be greeted with an immense sigh of relief.

Defensive reinforcements are a necessity with Pompey conceding an average of three goals per game away from home since mid-December.

There's also bubbling discourse within the fanbase regarding the extent to which Pompey's home form can be relied upon.

Some would stress there's 30 points available to Mousinho's side at Fratton Park between now and the end of the season and another 20 points would probably do it.

Given we've taken 19 from an available 21 of late, what's the worry?

Others would then say, what happens if the home form dries up? Where does this side turn to then? Nothing is a given in football and we can all agree the home form of late has been nothing short of remarkable, yet has probably taken many by surprise.

Tomorrow night feels like a real knife-edge game for Mousinho. Beat Millwall, and the weekend will soon be behind us and Pompey move five points clear of the drop zone. We'd then probably only be needing another five wins to consider ourselves all but safe.

Lose, and Saturday's rotation is in vain, having passed up our game in hand on all those around us and remain in a very precarious league position.

It's a dangerous game and one with a magnitude of importance in the context of this season.

Andrew Moon
BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator

Portsmouth tried to sign Hayden Matthews last summer but couldn't reach agreement with Sydney FC. Now they have got their target.

Like Thomas Waddingham this is the capture of a very promising young player however Matthews is considered much closer to being ready to play in the Championship than the striker.

Marlon Pack has played the past three months as a makeshift centre-back so it was clearly a position Portsmouth needed strengthening.

With the arrival of Rob Atkinson on loan and Conor Shaughnessy now close to fitness John Mousinho will finally have the options in defence. It's been a position cursed by injury this season.

Obviously there is a big gap in standard between the A-League and the Championship but Portsmouth believe it's a country and a league where there is good value for money in the transfer market.

Portsmouth welcome Millwall on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT) to play out a game in hand after the fixture was called off because of a power failure on 27 November.

Pompey were thrashed 5-1 at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday but have won four on the bounce at Fratton Park and are unbeaten in their past seven on home soil (W6 D1).

Millwall ended a six-game winless run with a 1-0 victory at Luton at the weekend to move up to 16th, while Portsmouth are 21st, two points above the drop zone.

• Portsmouth have lost just two of their past 19 home league games against Millwall (W10 D7), conceding more than one goal in just three of those matches.

• Millwall have won both of their past two league games against Portsmouth, and will be looking to win three in succession against Pompey for just the second time in the EFL, having previously done so from 1923 to 1966.

• Portsmouth have won six of their past seven home league games (D1), including each of their last four in a row, all while scoring 2+ goals.

• Millwall have only won one of their past nine away league games played on a Tuesday (D4 L4), beating Plymouth 2-0 in October.

• Millwall have only won two of their past 11 Championship away games at newly promoted opposition (D2 L7), wins over Plymouth (2-0) and Sheffield Wednesday (4-0) last term.

Andrew Moon
BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator

Image source, Getty Images

Another brutal day on the road for Pompey with once again the big talking point the team selection.

John Mousinho's decision to rest five key players will have frustrated some of the travelling fans who are investing time and money to follow the club.

However, he must do what he think is best for the squad and in many ways the performance today highlighted why he must wrap his key players up in cotton wool.

There is a shortage of Championship quality and once again one West Brom goal was enough to spark a collapse.

Seven away defeats on the bounce and Mousinho must find a solution to these issues away from Fratton Park or staying up will be very challenging.

One or two more quality additions would also be very useful.