Portsmouth

John Mousinho says Pompey need to be adaptable as they venture into the unknown against "incredibly dangerous" Burnley on Saturday.

The Clarets are third-bottom and without a home win since 18 October, 2025, but parted ways with head coach Nicky Hayen following Saturday's dismal 4-1 capitulation at Lincoln.

Michael Jackson was set to be in interim charge for the visit of Pompey - unbeaten in four games from which they have earned 10 points - but on Wednesday Swiss coach Fabio Celestini was appointed to the Turf Moor hotseat.

After the trip to Lancashire, Portsmouth host Swansea on Tuesday and Stoke on 7 November ahead of the two-week international break, and Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent: "These weeks in the Championship are very important - there are nine points to play for.

"It's really important we try to finish off this block of games with some positive results, and we have got to be fully focused at the weekend.

"We have to do our best to try and figure out how we think they are going to play - the players don't change, the style might a bit. We have to make sure we adapt on the day."

Mousinho said he was "really surprised" at the Clarets early-season struggles, adding: "I expected them to be right up there, as I think everyone did.

"They are still an incredibly dangerous side, particularly after changing the manager and freshening things up - you usually you get a reaction from the players and a different reaction from everyone at Turf Moor, so it's going to be an interesting day for us."

Mousinho said winger Josh Murphy and central defender Conor Shaughnessy could be involved at Turf Moor, depending how they recover from their return to full training.

Murphy has missed 10 games, while Shaughnessy has missed five, and Mousinho said: "I'm fairly confident Josh Murphy will be available. We thought there might be a chance last week. He hadn't recovered enough from training for us to put him on the bench against Millwall. The signs are ok.

"It's exactly the same with Conor Shaughnessy - we'll see as he settles down."

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A new era begins at Turf Moor as Portsmouth visit Burnley seeking to heap more woe on the Clarets on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Fabio Celestini has been appointed as Burnley boss in the wake of Nicky Hayen's departure following Saturday's abject 4-1 defeat at Lincoln which left the Clarets third-bottom with just one win in their opening 12 games and without a home win in more than 12 months.

Pompey have climbed into the top-half off the back of a run of 10 points from four games, culminating in the 2-1 win over Millwall last time out, and another victory here could see them climb into the top-six depending on other results.

• Burnley are unbeaten across their past three league games against Portsmouth (W2 D1), they haven't gone four unbeaten in this fixture before.

• Portsmouth have lost just one of their past eight away league games against Burnley (W4 D3), though that did come on their last visit to Turf Moor, a 2-1 defeat in September 2024.

• Burnley are winless in their past 21 home league games (D10 L11). Only Sheffield Wednesday (23 between 2025 and 2026) have ever had a longer run in English Football League history.

• Portsmouth have lost just one of their past eight league games (W4 D3), having lost three of their first four in the Championship this season.

• Burnley have conceded six goals from corners and nine goals from set piece situations in general in the Championship so far this season – both the highest totals of any side in the competition.

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Since the south coast derby defeat to bitter rivals Southampton earlier this month, Portsmouth have put together an excellent string of results in the Championship.

Pompey have won three and drawn one of their four games in that time to climb from 19th up to 11th and within two points of the play-off spots.

"It's just amazing how all it takes is a few games for everything to turn around," BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator Andrew Moon told the Who Needs Mourinho? podcast.

"Have Pompey necessarily deserved 10 points from four games? Probably not that many but there has been a lot of good things.

"And if you do a lot of good things and get that little bit of fortune to go your way, things can turn around pretty quickly."

Portsmouth News football writer Jordan Cross joins Chris Wise and Andrew on the latest episode of Who Needs Mourinho? where they discuss what has been behind the recent turnaround and answer questions from supporters in Moon's Musings.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

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Portsmouth attacker Adrian Segecic believes there is "no reason" they cannot push for the Championship play-off positions this season.

John Mousinho's side have taken 10 points from their last four matches, lifting them from 19th to 11th in the table, just two points adrift of the top eight.

Pompey have beaten Sheffield United, Norwich and Millwall and drawn at Wolverhampton Wanderers, since their narrow 1-0 defeat away to rivals Southampton on 11 October.

"After the result (against Millwall) I think that we can definitely achieve where we want to be - play-offs and competing at the top of the table," Segecic told BBC Radio Solent.

"I feel like there's no reason that we shouldn't believe that we can and we have shown it now.

"We have to just keep performing and believing, I think belief is the biggest thing about us and with hard work I definitely feel like it can push us to the top."

So far this season, Segecic has scored three goals and contributed an assist in 13 appearances across all competitions and has played the entire game in 10 of them.

He is especially proud of the team's response after since their narrow south-coast derby loss at St Mary's.

"To bounce back and show what we've done the last four games is incredible," he added.

"Off the back of everyone's heads being so low amongst the fans and in Portsmouth It just shows the kind of team that we are.

"Having that little bit of arrogance about us and hard work if we continue that then we'll definitely be a top side."

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Championship match between Portsmouth and Millwall.

Here are some of them:

Portsmouth fans

Michael: OK, we're more Greece 2004 than Brazil 1970 but frankly who cares! Honestly, these results are amazing. The peaceful pastures of mid-table obscurity beckons.

David: Pompey were below par but got the important three points. It was fortunate but in this league anyone can beat anyone. It is nice to see them in the top half of the table. I just hope they can maintain the positive run seen in last few games.

Michael: Scrappy game in awful conditions. Centre-backs immense. Get Toby Steward back off loan.

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Millwall fans

David: Really disappointing result. Millwall's big promotion push season is turning into a slide into a relegation battle. I hate to blame one person but with [Lukas] Jensen and [Filip] Marschall out we're left with [Max] Crocombe in goal and he just isn't up to it. Until we sort this situation out we're going to keep getting bad results.

Bill: Not sure what game Alex [Neil] was watching, I thought we were poor over most of the pitch.

Phil: No forwards, midfield tired, only one goalkeeper because we have no options. Worried is a under statement, it's a mess. We need our injured players as soon as possible before it gets even worse.

Tom Chappell
Fournilwrittenalloverit

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Pompey's record in the pouring rain at Fratton Park is remarkably positive. Saturday was another delightfully soggy afternoon at PO4.

Only Middlesbrough have more points than Pompey from their past five games, and we've now lost just once at home since the opening weekend after the 2-1 win over Millwall.

There were no screamers, very little quality football on display, and it's unlikely to be a match talked about for a long time. Having said that, what matters is the outcome - a significant and very welcome three points.

Pompey's performance level during this solid run of form has not been sparkling, and we haven't dazzled with attractive football. What we have done is something that has been hard to come by for us in recent seasons, particularly during our return to the second tier, which is to find a way to win a game when we haven't played brilliantly.

Given the inclement conditions, there was an element of fortune about Pompey's equaliser, and perhaps the same can be said about the winner. On 70 minutes it didn't really feel like a game that either side deserved to win.

But you make your own luck, and pushing the right buttons and being in the right areas more often than not means you might just get something.

Nico Schmid's telegraphed pass straight into the path of Jenson Metcalfe was disastrous. The Millwall midfielder will probably never score an easier goal in his career.

Pompey's response was immediate and effective as Adrian Segecic's dangerous ball was inadvertently directed home by Millwall.

The visitors adapted better to the conditions though, I thought, and edged it for large parts of the second half, but Pompey's substitutions were well timed and eventually won us the day.

Jojo Dia put his body (and face) in front of anything asked of him, I was really pleased with the performances of both our full-backs.

Iyad Mohamed is settling nicely and the winner was a fabulous moment for Tommy Waddingham. Plagued with injury during his time at the club so far, hopefully this is the start of better things to come.

Finally, given the clocks have gone back this weekend, a moment of reflection.

Rewind to the fallout from the south-coast derby defeat, and a vociferous minority were calling for John Mousinho's sacking.

Less than two weeks later, a packed 20,000 crowd are singing 'Mousinho is our king'. It goes to show just how football can change incredibly quickly.

Pompey aren't blowing sides away, and despite this run of form they certainly haven't cracked it yet. But, in Mousinho, we believe.

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There was a large amount of luck about both of Pompey's goals against Millwall. A mis-hit free kick which ended up as an own goal and a tackle which hit a forward and went in.

Even John Mousinho admitted the win was fortunate.

But what isn't simply luck is that Pompey have become awkward opponents - tricky to play against and difficult to break down. That was not the case earlier in the season.

Ten points from four matches is a brilliant return but the past three results could all easily have gone the other way.

However, if you make yourself tough to beat and stay in matches when things are against you and you can do it almost every match, then you will get your fair share of results.

Pompey weren't in the play-off places for long on Saturday and no-one realistically expects them to finish in the top eight, however a mid-table finish would represent impressive progress and another brilliant achievement for John Mousinho.

With more strokes of fortune it might be possible.

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho spoke to BBC Radio Solent after his side's 2-1 victory against Millwall. For a written selection of his quotes click here

Image source, Opta

Portsmouth will hope to continue their decent run of form when they welcome Millwall to Fratton Park in the Championship on Saturday lunchtime (kick-off 12:30 BST).

Pompey have won two and drawn at Wolves since losing the south coast derby to Southampton to move within two points of the play-offs and seven clear of the relegation zone.

Since winning their opening two matches, the Lions have won just twice in nine games (D3 L4) and are level on points with Portsmouth but ahead of them in the table on goals scored.

• Portsmouth won both league meetings with Millwall 3-1 last season, having failed to win any of the previous five encounters (D1 L4).

• Millwall have won two of their past three away league games against Portsmouth (L1) - this after winning on just one of their prior 18 visits to Fratton Park between September 1971 and December 2010.

• Portsmouth have won two of their past three home league games (D1), as many as in their previous 10 at Fratton Park (D2 L6).

• Millwall have won just one of their previous six league games (D3 L2), though could record successive away league wins for the first time since March.

• Only West Ham United (8) have scored more goals from set pieces (ex. penalties) in the Championship this season than Millwall (6), while they lead the division for xG from set pieces (6.8).

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What a difference a week makes. A third excellent result in seven days after the south coast derby disappointment.

Portsmouth are not suddenly a different team. They have just tightened up a little at the back and been able to find moments of quality going forward. Terry Devlin's late equaliser at Molineux was a brilliant goal.

Wolves made things fairly simple for Pompey in the first half but even when they improved after the break they didn't create too much.

There is now a belief and confidence about this Portsmouth side. To be able to make four changes and still get a result like this highlights the improvement in squad depth.

Don't forget to tap the 'follow' button at the top of this page to stay up to date with the latest Portsmouth news.

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We asked for your thoughts after Wolves drew 1-1 with Portsmouth in the Championship at Molineux on Tuesday night.

Here are some of your comments:

Wolves fans

Robert: Both teams would have been better off playing rock, paper, scissors. It would have been more exciting. Lack of quality evident and without a striker Wolves will struggle to get into play-off contention. January window a long way off unfortunately.

Laura: We somehow find a way to be more frustrating with each game. There doesn't seem to be any intent to get in the opponents' faces and put them under real sustained pressure - we do it for a little bit, then just back off and surrender any momentum we've built up. The most frustrating thing though is hearing the manager just saying we're the better team - he must be watching a different game to the 30,000 of us in the stands who are fed up of seeing their team being out-fought and out-thought.

Wol: Poor first half and Cesar made changes at start of the second half which made us more of a threat going forward. We scored a good goal and should have pressed for a second to kill the game off but as always we let the opposition get back in the game. It shows our lack of attacking options when you have to bring on a centre back to play as a striker.

Paul: Terrible performance from Wolves. Very predictable side to side and a few hopeful crosses. We need a striker fast. The young lad Neave is still learning, not what Wolves need, but nothing we can do with injuries. Think we will be in the play-offs. Fosun need to get their fingers out in Jan!

Rich: 11 games in and we look as poor and as clueless as we did last season but against lesser opposition. Manager doesn't know how to defend and sets the team up with five across the front line and no midfield so we concede so many goals. Questions need to be asked because this team or manager are not good enough to be promoted.

Image source, Getty Images

Portsmouth fans

Pompey Dave: Terry Devlin to the rescue with another great strike. A decent away point keeps things going nicely with a fair bit of squad rotation. Well done Pompey.

Ray: Terrible journey, terrible weather, terrible game... but great result. Play up Pompey!

Andy: With four games in quick succession we would have lost that game last season. Good to see Pompey showing resilience.

Grant: Following from Berlin and for this Pompey supporter this is an excellent point. Almost feels like another away win. Almost...

Graham: Gutsy and kept going until the end. A point against the odds.

Brian: Not a great game but with our squad value being 10% of theirs and us having 11 of our squad injured, it is a great result.

Norman: A tough sequence of games and Pompey have done really well. Most importantly goals are coming from more than one player and scoring very late in games which is really positive all round. But why so many injuries?

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Portsmouth manager John Mousinho said he clashed with Cesar Peixoto after the Wolves boss told him he "talks too much".

Mousinho was involved in an incident as the full-time whistle sounded after Pompey had scored a late equaliser to earn a point at Molineux on Tuesday night.

Peixoto angrily approached him before there was an exchanging of terse words and both head coaches had to be held back.

"We shook hands at the end of the game and, as we walked off, he kindly told me I talk too much," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent.

"That was it. I very politely told him I disagreed. That's my job as head coach. I don't know what it was all about.

"At the end of the game you shake hands and walk off. That's what we do. We will stick to that but the second someone has a pop back, I think it's fair game."

Terry Devlin scored a fine volley in the 86th minute to earn Pompey a point and stretch their unbeaten run to three matches following the derby defeat to Southampton.

"We've played four top sides in 10 days, and with the injuries we have, then it's a great point," Mousinho added. "15 points from the first 11 games? I'd have taken that.

"If you add in the fact that we were a goal down under immense pressure, then it's a brilliant result.

"Wolves' goal was a kick in the teeth but Terry Devlin has shown us time and time again over the last few years what can happen when the ball falls to him."

Listen to Mousinho's post-match interview below or on BBC Sounds here.

Tom Chappell
Fournilwrittenalloverit

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I think a win with a clean sheet away from home is one of the hardest things to come by in the Championship, so to have achieved both for the first time this season is a real triumph.

Prior to the 1-0 victory at Norwich City on Saturday, the last time we managed to do so was at Middlesbrough back in April.

Seven days ago, we were a fanbase and a football club on the floor.

Fast forward a week and John Mousinho's side have put together back-to-back wins and now sit just three points outside of the play-offs.

The age-old cliche first applied to politics couldn't be more fitting for us at this moment in time. A week is, indeed, a long time in football.

Alongside a number of outstanding individual contributions on Saturday, it might perhaps sound cynical to suggest that had referee Gavin Ward not pointed to the spot following a challenge on Abu Kamara, the game may well have dwindled into a 0-0 snooze fest.

Jojo Dia just gets better and better, Iyad Mohamed plucked an hour-long performance for the ages, and Marezi remains undeniable from 12 yards so far in a blue shirt.

While this was against a Norwich side who created very little, bar a denial from one of the posts - and a more robust side probably would have punished Pompey on the day - that makes it two away wins from five.

Pompey can travel in confidence to Molineux to take on Wolves on Tuesday for the first time since they visited while in the Premier League in 2009, looking to right the wrongs of previous midweek away trips.

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Portsmouth striker Marko Milovanovic feels his side have shown a strong mentality to win both of their league games after defeat to Southampton in the south coast derby.

John Mousinho's team have beaten Sheffield United and Norwich following the loss at St Mary's, boosting them up the Championship table to 13th.

Summer signing Milovanovic, also known as Marezi, scored the game's only goal on Saturday when Pompey beat the Canaries, converting from the penalty spot shortly after half-time.

"We showed that we have good mentality as a team and we're strong," he told BBC Radio Solent.

"The team have recovered well and have shown that on the pitch. [We were hurting] more than you can imagine after [the Southampton loss] but we focused well on the next games.

"The best part of football [is] that you have another game in a few days after."

Milovanovic arrived at Fratton Park in July when he completed a £3m move from Spanish side Almeria.

So far in the Championship he has played eight times, scoring three goals in what is his first spell in English football.

"There is a lot to come but I try my best," Milovanovic added.

"I can help the team a lot and getting two wins in a row is the most important thing for us.

"Now we are trying to get three and four wins and this is what we have to do, we have to rest and recover and then be switched on.

"You don't get much time in this league, it's just recovering, eating, sleeping and then performing again."

Portsmouth return to action on Tuesday night when they travel to Molineux to take on Wolverhampton Wanderers.

We asked for your thoughts after Portsmouth made it back-to-back wins while inflicting a fifth straight league defeat on Norwich City.

Here are some of your comments:

Norwich fans

Keith: Sadly predictable - worst season in 25 years. Down to League One if no rapid improvement. Current owners have little or no regard for supporters since it's only a business - downhill since departure of Delia and Michael.

Dave: Think it's about time some of the players started to take a long hard look at themselves, they are treated well at Norwich and week after week they are performing like this. Back end of last season they played with freedom.

Andy: Not good enough, something needs to change starting with (sporting director) Ben Knapper. No pride or passion, only so long that Clement can make excuses from mostly the same players he had working so well last season.

Nigel: Yet again, no commitment, no pride, just run around for 90 minutes and take the money. The manager seems clueless and any motivation skills he had have now gone by the wayside. League One beckons.

Image source, Shutterstock

Portsmouth fans

Anthony: Pompey slowly climbing away from the relegation places but still need a few more quality players in January just to stay in the Championship.

Mike: A gritty performance from an improving side. They have responded well to defensive frailties. Play up Pompey!

Michael: Brilliant. Six points from Sheffield United and Norwich is how you bounce back from losing the derby. Well done Mous and the boys.

Martin: We defended very well and were lucky to get a penalty. It was definitely a foul but the defender was unlucky because he was turning and didn't know that Kamara was behind him. Apart from that the two teams cancelled each other out.

Image source, Opta

Wolves will seek to return to the top-five of the Championship when they welcome Portsmouth for their game in hand on Tuesday (19:45 BST).

The fixture has been rearranged twice due to clashes with EFL Cup and Champions League matches but gives both sides the chance to build on away wins at the weekend.

Wolves can go fifth if they can follow up Friday night's victory at Burnley with another three points, while Pompey could go level on points with Wanderers and climb into the top-10 if they can repeat Saturday's 1-0 win at Norwich.

• Wolverhampton Wanderers and Portsmouth last faced one another in the 2009-10 Premier League season, when Pompey completed a league double over Wolves.

• Portsmouth are unbeaten in six league meetings with Wolves (W3 D3) since a 3-2 loss in January 2002.

• Wolves lost their last home league game 1-3 to Bolton, but haven't suffered successive home defeats in the Championship since February 2017 (3 in a row).

• Portsmouth are winless in seven away league games against newly relegated opponents (D3 L4) since a 3-2 victory at Reading in League One in October 2023.

• Portsmouth have won just one of their past 15 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) away league games (D2 L12), beating Charlton 3-1 in February.

Image source, Getty Images

Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho has said that attacker Keshi Anderson will miss up to eight weeks with a hamstring tear.

The 31-year-old came on in Pompey's 3-2 win over Sheffield United on Wednesday before going down with an injury and leaving the field less than 20 minutes later.

The head coach shared further bad news on the squad's fitness as striker Colby Bishop withdrew from Saturday's squad for the away win over Norwich City at short notice.

"He (Anderson) has got a hamstring tear so we're looking at six to eight weeks out for him," Mousinho said.

"We're really thin on the ground at the moment. We had two goalkeepers on the bench and lost a player in the warm-up today (Colby Bishop). He felt his knee and didn't feel quite right."

Anderson has only played twice in the league this season with both appearances coming off the bench, while Bishop has featured 10 times across all competitions, scoring one goal.

Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho gives his reaction after their narrow win over Norwich City.

Click here for a written selection of his quotes.