Portsmouth

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho says his side need to shift their focus back to the league after they were beaten 2-1 by Reading in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.

Pompey will run out at Fratton Park for the first time this season when they host Norwich on Saturday (12:30 BST).

Mousinho is hoping they can continue their winning Championship start after a 1-0 victory at Oxford United on the opening weekend, courtesy of an Adrian Segecic goal.

"It was really important that we got back in and just got over it very quickly, we've got Norwich at the weekend and we need to move on to that," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent.

"It should be a very good clash- they (Norwich) are definitely one of the early top six favourites. I expect a really good team to come to Fratton Park.

"Something we have to be better at is not just controlling games for 50-60 minutes but also going [well] towards the back end of the game, and don't invite too much pressure."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho says he expected a lot more from his starting XI during their 2-1 EFL Cup loss to Reading.

Only attacking midfielder John Swift remained from the side's winning Championship start against Oxford United on Saturday and Mousinho feels that the remaining players will struggle to get minutes in the first half of the new season after their losing performance at Fratton Park.

"We made a lot of changes but I still expect a lot more from the 11 than what we did (see)," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent.

"You want to have selection headaches going into the weekend and it was a very good chance for those players to show us what they were capable of.

"All of a sudden now, we've just got the league to concentrate on right up until January - no cup games, so no other opportunities for players to get minutes and that's disappointing."

Listen to the full post-match interview with Mousinho and more on BBC Sounds.

"I'm never sure about Callum Lang on the right wing... he was absolutely magnificent."

Chris Wise and Andy Moon reflect on Portsmouth's opening-day win against Oxford United, who played a starring role, and where the side still need to strengthen in the transfer window.

Listen to the full episode of Who Needs Mourinho and more on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Rex Features

Portsmouth will be without midfielder Marlon Pack for at least six weeks as he needs surgery on a knee injury.

The 34-year-old missed Saturday's season-opening 1-0 win at Oxford in the Championship after sustaining the injury in a pre-season friendly against Brighton under-21s on 30 July and boss John Mousinho has confirmed he needs an operation.

"He's going in for surgery tomorrow [Tuesday] so we're pretty positive on it - in the best case scenario he'll be back in six weeks so it's not too bad," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent.

"We probably feared the worst at the end of last week - we're pretty pleased with that as an outcome."

Pack started his career with Portsmouth and re-joined the club from Cardiff City in 2022, playing a key role in their League One title win in 2024.

"We have to wait until he's had the surgery just to double check but we're pretty hopeful," added Mousinho.

"We knew he wasn't fit and available on Friday but he was definitely going to travel with the boys and was a big part of what we achieved on Saturday.

"I almost guarantee he'll be on the bus up to West Brom [next weekend] even though he won't be fit."

Portsmouth host Reading in the first round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday (19:45 BST).

Tom Chappell
Fan Writer

There was a lot to like about Pompey at the Kassam on Saturday.

It was a "job done" away performance that had every ingredient we've come to anticipate from a John Mousinho side winning a game of football on the road - solidity in the back line, plenty of midfield substance and a real purpose in attack.

Even if you were to put his match-winning moment aside, Adrian Segecic had one of the most accomplished league debuts I can remember a Pompey player having for many a season.

His footballing diligence and application is sensational, not to mention his ferocity in striking the ball which we got glimpses of.

One league game is a small sample size, however his pre-season showings coupled with Saturday afternoon's display excite me for his campaign ahead.

The returning duo of Conor Shaughnessy and Regan Poole, albeit not error free, didn't strike me as a partnership 20 months in the making. John Swift demonstrated exactly what he can bring to the table for Pompey, Colby Bishop's surprise inclusion was a welcome one, and I think in part that allowed for Callum Lang to shine as he did.

It was only really the closing 20 minutes of the game where Pompey's slender one-goal advantage felt at risk, naturally invoking nervousness heightened by the desire to see the game through.

Part of me feels a less well equipped and prepared Pompey side may well have succumbed to the late Oxford pressure. Mousinho appears to now have his side in a place whereby we can compete from start to finish and emerge with a result befitting the performance.

It took a leafy weekend in West London midway through October last season for Pompey to register a league win, home or away. This time round that inaugural victory came on the opening weekend.

While Portsmouth will almost certainly have tougher tests on our travels this season, we know by now that winning anywhere away from home in the Championship is an achievement.

Mousinho credited his side's energy and challenged them to sustain it. A stern test for our Fratton Park curtain raiser next weekend (at home to Norwich) can't come soon enough.

Image source, PA Media

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho expects to have winger Josh Murphy available before the end of August.

The former Oxford man missed Pompey's 1-0 win at the Kassam Stadium but is not expected to be out long term.

Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent: "Josh picked up a slight hamstring injury in the last pre-season game.

"We will maybe see him next week but I'm not sure, but we'll see him against West Brom [on August 23]."

After coming up together from League One in 2023-24, Oxford United and Portsmouth meet to begin their second season back in the Championship on Saturday (15:00 BST).

John Mousinho, who ended his playing career with a six-season stint at the Kassam Stadium, guided Pompey to a strong finish to their last campaign, eventually finishing 16th, one point and one place ahead of Gary Rowett's U's.

• Oxford United are winless across their last seven league games against Portsmouth (D4 L3), since a 3-2 victory in February 2022.

• After winning this exact fixture 2-0 last season, Portsmouth will be looking to win successive away league games against Oxford United for the first time since September 1981.

• This will be the fourth time that Oxford have met Portsmouth on the opening day of a Football League campaign, winning each of their prior three meetings whilst scoring 3+ goals in 1987, 1993 and 2013.

• Portsmouth have lost their opening league game in just one of the last 11 seasons (W4 D6), remaining unbeaten across their last five in succession (W1 D4).

• Only Plymouth (12) earned fewer points away from home in the Championship last season than Portsmouth (14 – W3 D5 L15), with only Luton (16) losing more on the road than Pompey.

Andrew Moon
BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator

After last season's tough opening in the Championship, Portsmouth head into their second season in the division knowing the size of the challenge ahead and a much kinder set of early fixtures.

Colby Bishop and Josh Murphy were outstanding in attack last term, and Pompey will be hoping for more of the same from the pair. Keeping them fit and firing will be key.

John Swift's move to his local club has a romantic element, but he also brings some vital Championship experience. Their other new recruits are unproven at this level. A fit Callum Lang will feel a little bit like a new player.

There are more additions to come, with head coach John Mousinho suggesting there could be as many as five more new faces. There were no key permanent departures, but how Pompey would love to have found a way to re-sign loan pair Freddie Potts and Rob Atkinson.

Mousinho pointed out numerous times last season that Pompey were not quite a mid-table side yet. They would love to become one this year.

Avoiding relegation is the objective, and steering clear of the battle to avoid the drop would be an excellent season. Anything beyond that is probably just for the dreamers.

Portsmouth are aiming to refocus their investment on the pitch rather than into infrastructure, says chief executive Andy Cullen.

Pompey open the new Championship season away at Oxford United on Saturday (15:00 BST) having finished 16th on their return to the second tier last season.

The club have had to spend on improvements to both the training ground and their Fratton Park stadium but Cullen wants to now turn their full attention to the first team.

"At the stadium we're delighted where we have spent over the years - getting the capacity back up to 21,000, getting the stands safety compliant," he told BBC Radio Solent's Fans' Forum.

"There's now an accent from the ownership and senior management team to look at ways where we can build new revenue streams but most importantly to try to move some of that capital expenditure which has been heavily focused on the stadium back into the first team.

"That has helped this year with using the additional investment to spend on transfer fees in the early part of the summer and in January and that's going to be our focus going forward - focus on the pitch as best we possibly can."

Portsmouth will shake hands with midfielder Matt Ritchie and part ways "amicably", says boss John Mousinho.

The 35-year-old returned to the club last season, making 41 appearances in all competitions and scoring five league goals as Pompey finished 16th on their return to the Championship.

"We've made a decision as a football club and in Matt as a player and we're going to shake hands and part ways," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent's Pompey Fans' Forum.

"We think it's best for both parties - ultimately when these things happen there's sometimes more of an exaggeration and various conspiracy theories from the outside."

Ritchie started his career at Portsmouth before a number of loan spells were followed by permanent moves to Swindon, Bournemouth and Newcastle.

"It's very straightforward on expectations on both sides. What Matt did for us last year was exceptional and he was a big part of what we achieved and I'm forever grateful for that," added Mousinho.

"Me personally, as a manager, and Matt have different views and ambitions on how things are going to go this year and we think it's best to part amicably and try to find something better for Matt."

Portsmouth open their Championship campaign away at Oxford on Saturday (15:00 BST).

"I think there's a bit more pressure on Pompey in August this time around.

"West Brom away looks tricky but the other three look winnable - but it's preferable not to have the brutal start Portsmouth had last season."

BBC Radio Solent's Chris Wise chats to Pompey commentator Andrew Moon before the big kick-off at Oxford United on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Listen to the full episode of Who Needs Mourinho? and more on BBC Sounds.

BBC Radio Solent are also holding a Portsmouth fans' forum tonight (4 August) and you can listen here.

Image source, Rex Features

Portsmouth striker Colby Bishop could miss the start of the Championship season with injury.

The 28-year-old hurt his groin in training last week and was not part of the squad for Pompey's final pre-season friendly as they beat Dutch side PEC Zwolle 1-0 on Saturday.

Bishop scored scored 11 goals in 32 Championship games last season and found the net twice in a 4-0 friendly win over Reading last month.

Portsmouth begin the Championship season with a trip to Oxford United on Saturday.

"Colby has picked up a bit of an injury, a bit of a muscular injury," head coach John Mousinho told BBC Sport.

"We'll see how that progresses, but at the moment he's doubtful for next week."