Portsmouth

Portsmouth midfielder Marlon Pack has returned to training and not yet been ruled out for the South Coast derby against Southampton on Sunday (12:00 BST).

The 34-year-old underwent knee surgery in August and was projected to be out for six weeks, however his recovery is going better than expected.

"Marlon is good. He's been back doing a little bit of training this week so he's progressing really well," boss John Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent.

"Whether he's involved on Sunday or not, I don't know, but he's in a much better position than we thought he would be at this stage."

Sunday is the first time the two rivals have met since Pack returned to the club in 2022, though the veteran is no stranger to a derby day.

"He obviously has grown up as a Portsmouth fan and a season ticket holder," Mousinho added.

"I think he's been to plenty of these games, never played in one of them... I'm sure he'll be excited to be involved in any capacity."

There have been no additional injuries to the squad over international break, with Mousinho confirming that midfielder Adrian Segecic is "fine" despite missing Australia's friendly against New Zealand on Tuesday.

Listen to the full pre-match interview with Mousinho and more Portsmouth content on BBC Sounds.

Southampton welcome Portsmouth on Sunday (12:00 BST) for the first South Coast derby in a league fixture in over a decade.

The Saints may have been a Premier League side a few months ago but it's Portsmouth who have got off to the better start in the Championship this season.

Pompey have lost just one of their opening four games (W2 D1) to see themselves in eighth place, putting them one point off the top six and five away from league leaders Middlesbrough.

While Southampton's re-entry to the second-tier hasn't gone as smoothly as they would have liked.

Similarly, they have also only lost one of their first four league encounters but have equally only won one to see them trailing their neighbouring rivals by two points.

• This is the first league meeting between Southampton and Portsmouth since a pair of draws between the two in 2011-12 in the Championship.

• Portsmouth's only league win away to Southampton in their last eight trips came in January 1988 in the top-flight (2-0), with Pompey losing on four of the other seven occasions (D3).

• Southampton have lost two of their last three home league games in the Championship (W1), as many as in their prior 18 matches (W14 D2).

• Portsmouth have lost only one of their last nine league games (W4 D4), while they've picked up as many points on the road in their previous four matches (8 – W2 D2) as in their prior 19 matches (8 – W2 D2 L15).

• Portsmouth have attempted the most shots from fast breaks in the Championship this season (6), while only Sheffield United (8) have faced more shots from fast breaks so far this season than Southampton (7).

Tom Chappell
Fan writer from Fournilwrittenalloverit

Image source, Rex Features

A first league meeting for 13 years, and the closest the two clubs have been in a league sense since 2005. No wonder then the build-up and buzz this week has been palpable for those that bleed Pompey blue.

This highly-anticipated fixture once on the horizon, now very much around the corner, needs little talking up for the two fanbases involved.

Externally, it may appear a localised dispute that has laid dormant for many years. Internally, it means absolutely everything.

From a Pompey perspective, as unbelievably huge as this game is, and with no excuses made, I feel collectively as a fanbase we head into it knowing the pressure is certainly not on us.

On paper, our opponents beat us nine times out of 10, squad values in terms of reported figures are almost incomparable, and while Pompey have rebuilt for the best part of a decade in the bottom two tiers of English football, Southampton have had a relatively settled stay in the top-flight up until last season.

I doubt I will sleep much on Saturday night, but when Sunday morning rolls round and the hideously early alarm goes, all it will be is excitement from then on in.

I turn 22 a week after this fixture, so I have very little recollection of some of Pompey's previous success away at our fiercest rivals.

Not only does the last cup meeting fester in the minds of Pompey fans, it's felt like a horribly long time since David Norris Day and that generational moment characterised by one strike of the ball from the man who used to be a waiter.

My expectation is a team of Pompey players who will fight for absolutely everything on the pitch - and a fanbase doing the same from the away end.

After 13 years, the wait is very nearly over.

Tom can be found on his YouTube channel Fournilwrittenalloverit, external

Former Portsmouth striker Jermain Defoe has some key derby day advice for Pompey players as they prepare to visit Southampton for the South Coast derby on Sunday (12:00 BST).

Defoe boasts extensive derby experience having played in the North London derby for Tottenham Hotspur, the Tyne-Wear derby for Sunderland and the Old Firm derby for Rangers.

"You should get the best version of every player, [you want] bragging rights for the fans and the players," Defoe told BBC Radio Solent.

"It's a one-off game."

Although Defoe didn't play in a South Coast derby having only spent one year at Portsmouth, he has scored derby goals in his career so knows how to prepare for the occasion.

"You have to play the game and prepare like it's any other game," he added.

"I always tried to stay relaxed and play the game not the occasion and then once you've performed and you've won then you can really celebrate.

"[As a] player you find a little bit more, you find extra because of the size of the game, the magnitude of the game."

Listen to build-up of Southampton v Portsmouth from 10:00 BST on Sunday on Sounds.

"[Scoring in the South Coast derby was] the single best feeling in football I've had in my career. [I'm] normally in control when I've scored but that one I just remember running, shouting, swearing, screaming and I just headed straight for the fans. Total head loss."

One of Portsmouth's biggest games of the season is on the horizon.

Former Pompey midfielder and derby goalscorer David Norris joins Chris Wise and Andy Moon on the latest episode of BBC Radio Solent's Who Needs Mourinho? podcast to build up to Sunday's short trip to Southampton and reminisce about Norris' derby day memories.

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

Former Portsmouth midfielder Gareth Evans believes it was inevitable Pompey's loan signing Conor Chaplin would return to the club.

Chaplin came through the Portsmouth academy to play for the first team when he turned 18.

Evans and Chaplin played alongside each other during the latter's first stint at Fratton Park, before the forward left for Coventry in 2019.

"I knew he was going to come back to the football club at some point," Evans told BBC Radio Solent.

"The only surprise is that he's come back so soon after leaving. You expected him to come back at the latter end of [his] career.

"[It's a] massive bonus for Portsmouth that they've got a Conor Chaplin who's in the prime of his career. He's scored everywhere that he's been and he's got that infectious personality that adds a little bit extra to the dressing room.

"To retain their Championship status and then top up the squad like he [boss John Mousinho] has done this transfer window with the numbers he's got in and the quality of player he's got in, who's to say Portsmouth can't aim for a mid-table finish."

Next up for Pompey is a south coast derby at St Mary's against Southampton on 14 September (12:00 BST). It's a rivalry which will be reignited in a league game for the first time in 13 years.

"I'm a little bit jealous not to be involved, it's going to be a fantastic occasion," said Evans.

"It's something to savour and hopefully Portsmouth can pick up all three points."

Southampton have not beaten Portsmouth in a league game since 2004 and Evans is predicting that run will continue.

"I'll go for 1-0 Pompey, Conor Chaplin [to score] of course," he added.

Listen to the full interview with Gareth Evans and more on Pompey on Sounds.

"The Conor Chaplin signing is an incredible move from Portsmouth in terms of a nostalgia perspective but also in the fact that they are getting a player who has played 22 times in the Premier League, and someone who will fit into the John Mousinho system.

"It is such an emotive signing and he is such a popular figure. He was really central to the Ipswich Town success story.

"Even if you take the emotion out of it, many impartial observers are looking at this deal as the best bit of business on deadline day."

Conor Chaplin has returned to Fratton Park on loan from Ipswich, seven years after he left his boyhood club, to provide additional firepower and creativity to John Mousinho's squad.

Was it the best deadline day deal conducted across the whole Championship?

BBC Radio Solent's Andrew Moon is joined by Chris Wise and Jordan Cross to discuss Pompey's late dealings in the transfer window, as well as reflecting on the win against Preston North End.

There is also your questions answered in Moon's Musings.

Tom Chappell
Fan writer from Fournilwrittenalloverit

Image source, Rex Features

It took Portsmouth until early November to register a league win at home last season. This time around, we have done it with a day left in August to spare.

A zippy pitch and testing conditions almost always spells victory at Fratton Park and the 1-0 win over Preston North End was no different. In recent seasons, Pompey have consistently settled quicker than their opposition during inclement weather, particularly on home soil.

John Mousinho's team started the much better side, a marked improvement on our last home league game when two goals were shipped within 15 minutes.

We played well for half an hour and when Andre Dozzell's goal came, it certainly went the way of the team looking the more likely to score.

Arguably Pompey's most improved player since joining the club, Dozzell has quietly shone as a top performer from the off this season.

I distinctly remember one of his first games in a blue shirt at home to Sunderland last season, where he lost a challenge in the middle with Chris Rigg and 30 seconds later the ball was in the back of the net.

He looks undeniably much more comfortable a little over 12 months on and at times has a real command of Pompey's midfield.

As the window reaches its climax, there's palpable concern that Pompey may well lose Josh Murphy following reports of interest from two Championship clubs.

I have been pretty firm since speculation began, Murphy's value to us far outweighs any offer for me - especially as late in the window as we are.

His departure would genuinely cast doubt on Pompey's chances of retaining divisional status in the Championship - he is that important to us.

And with such minimal time to look to reinvest any funds generated from his sale, the logistics and timing of it all further enhances the jeopardy. Pompey cannot afford to sell Josh Murphy. Not now.

Find more from Tom at the Fournilwrittenalloverit, external YouTube channel.

Will transfer deadline day prove to be a busy one for Southampton and Portsmouth?

Find out in our visualised two-hour special show as we follow all of your club's deadline day business. Watch here at 18:00 BST.

Alex Howell
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Portsmouth are getting closer to completing a permanent deal for Crystal Palace forward Franco Umeh.

One source who has spoken to BBC Sport suggests the fee could be around £500,000.

Umeh has been on the bench for Oliver Glaser's side on a few occasions but has not made a senior appearance for the club.

The 20-year-old joined Palace from Cork City in 2023 and has represented the Republic of Ireland at youth level.

Image source, Rex Features

The future of Portsmouth winger Josh Murphy remains uncertain heading into the final hours of the summer transfer window.

The 30-year-old has been linked with a move to Leicester City and on Saturday it emerged that Portsmouth had rejected a bid from the Foxes for their star player.

BBC Radio 5 live reporter Chris Wise said , externalthat the bid fell "quite a way short" of Pompey's valuation.

Portsmouth's stance is that he is not for sale and Blues boss John Mousinho reiterated this after Saturday's 1-0 victory over Preston which Murphy played 90 minutes in.

"The only message I've been told is he isn't for sale and I'm pretty happy with that," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent after the game.

He then jokingly said that it would take a £50m bid from Real Madrid for them to even consider selling the winger.

Last season in the Championship Murphy scored seven goals and registered 14 assists as Portsmouth secured their second-tier status.

Clubs would have until 19:00 BST on Monday to finalise any deal for the attacker's services.

Andrew Moon
BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator

Image source, Rex Features

Not a pretty spectacle or a particularly impressive performance but another victory to continue a very solid start to the season.

Pompey seem to play well in fairly short spells at present, their excellent end to the first half produced the game's only goal.

They defended resolutely in the second half albeit against a Preston team lacking quality in front of goal. Nico Schmid barely had a save to make.

Josh Murphy was far from at his best but still contributed a few key moments most notably another brilliant cross for Colby Bishop which forced an excellent save from Daniel Iversen.

Pompey simply must keep hold of him over the next 48 hours.

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho says he has been told by his recruitment team that Josh Murphy "is not for sale".

"I've switched off from all that - it's down to the recruitment team and that's ins and outs," he told BBC Radio Solent.

"The only message I've been told is he isn't for sale and I'm pretty happy with that."

Mousinho was speaking after his side's 1-0 win against Preston North End at Fratton Park.

"The performance was okay - defensively we were solid," he said.

"We just didn't really kick on after scoring the goal - when things got more difficult in the second half we didn't get it in the net and we had the chances to do so.

"Andre [Dozzell] has been great - he's grown and grown into his role at the football club."

Leicester are interested in signing Portsmouth winger Josh Murphy, 30, before Monday's transfer deadline. (Pete O'Rourke, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.