Portsmouth

Portsmouth centre-back Conor Shaughnessy says the players will do "everything they can" to put things right after being thrashed 5-0 by Bristol City on New Year's Day.

Pompey are now just one point clear of the relegation zone after the heavy defeat at Ashton Gate, albeit with a game in hand over Norwich in 22nd.

John Mousinho's side host high-flying Ipswich on Sunday (15:00 GMT kick-off) at Fratton Park, where five of their six Championship wins this season have come.

"It's a difficult one to sum up, it's disappointing obviously," Shaughnessy told BBC Radio Solent.

"We know that's not the standard we want to set. The good thing is we've got another game in a few days' time and we will do everything we can to put it right against Ipswich.

"We probably need to sit down and analyse it. They [Bristol City] were clearly the better side and let's not try and get too down. Let's try and pick ourselves up for Ipswich.

"We know it's a bad day at the office, there's no two ways about that. We know how bad that was and not good enough from all of us as a collective.

"We all win together, we all lose together. It's all about recovery in this quick turnaround. It's just getting it right for the next one."

The 29-year-old said the "great thing about this league" is the chance to "bounce back and put in a better performance" within a few days.

"We will be looking to put it right," he added. "Everybody wants the same thing."

Andrew Moon
BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator

Image source, Getty Images

It's hard to believe there have been many, if any more one sided matches in the Championship this season

Bristol City didn't get out of second gear but were far too good for a woeful Portsmouth side. A more ruthless opponent might have threatened double figures.

Some of the wounds were self inflicted for Pompey. Two of the goals came from poor attempts to play out from the back.

John Mousinho switching to three at the back didn't work. But for any tactical shortcomings Pompey simply can't compete at this level without so many key players. Callum Lang and Josh Murphy are arguably the two best players and are sidelined again.

The big worry is it's unlikely anyone will be fit before Sunday. Ipswich at home looks daunting. The Fratton Park crowd won't stand for another showing like today.

It's been clear for sometime that this January would be a vital window. But even a good month may not be enough to keep Pompey up if they can't get their existing top players fit and firing.

Image source, Shutterstock

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho says his side has "no other choice" but to move on from their 5-0 thrashing at Bristol City.

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent after the match, he said: "Bristol City completely dominated us, we have to move on very quickly as we have some important games coming up.

"As a coaching staff we have to take responsibility for the team set up and tactics, the players have to take responsibility for their part too," he said.

Two of Bristol City's goals came from misplaced passes Pompey made deep in their own half.

"There were a couple of goals we shot ourselves in the foot with giving them the ball," Mousinho added.

"I said to the players we have to move on, show up on Sunday, run about and look like we can have a go, because we have no other choice.

"It's tough for us out there at the moment with the injuries we've got, but hopefully the fans can stick with us as we have some big games coming up."

Image source, Opta

Bristol City will look to keep their play-off bid on track when they welcome relegation-battling Portsmouth on New Year's Day (15:00 GMT kick-off).

The Robins picked up two wins on the bounce over Middlesbrough and West Brom before defeat at Millwall last time out and are two points behind the top six.

Pompey's dramatic late winner over Charlton on Monday extended their unbeaten run to four games (W2 D2) - their longest in the league so far this season.

John Mousinho's side are three points clear of Oxford in 22nd with a game in hand.

• Bristol City beat Portsmouth 3-0 in this fixture last season and are unbeaten in each of their previous seven home league meetings with Pompey (W3 D4), since a 2-0 loss in September 1991.

• Portsmouth lost 1-0 to Bristol City in the reverse fixture at Fratton Park in November, last losing both league games against the Robins in a campaign in 1975-76.

• This is the first time Bristol City are playing a league game on New Year's Day in four consecutive years - the Robins are winless in the first three matches of this run (D2 L1), drawing 2-2 with Plymouth Argyle in 2025.

• Portsmouth have won their past two league games on New Year's Day, never previously winning three in a row on this day.

• Portsmouth have won only one of their previous nine second tier away games in the month of January (D2 L6), winning 3-0 at Peterborough United in 2012.

Tom Chappell
Portsmouth fan writer from Fournilwrittenalloverit

Image source, Rex Features

Having followed Pompey since I was 18 months old, I can recall very few moments like Yang Min-Hyeok's 98th minute winner at Fratton Park on Monday.

Collective euphoria. There's nothing like it.

It was yet another example of a poor quality game - Pompey had created very little until Conor Shaughnessy netted in such familiar fashion with his first touch since returning to the pitch after a lengthy spell away.

His aerial prowess, goal scoring threat and general footballing presence is everything Pompey have been missing in his absence.

Just when a crucial win looked home and dry, set-piece defending was once again Pompey's downfall - after a number of Charlton opportunities late on, Mousinho's side had seemingly thrown it away again.

Then from the kick-off, complete absurdity.

Andre Dozzell's masterful ball, debutant Franco Umeh keeping two defenders busy whilst Yang's fantastic feet and brilliant composure - signalled a noise like we haven't heard in years.

All it takes is one little moment.

The January window is a critical point in Pompey's season and moreover their wider status in the second tier of English football, not least with star men Callum Lang and Josh Murphy sidelined.

Shrewd additions, proper business and a couple more moments of magic like Monday, then Pompey have a fighting chance of staying up.

Click here to view more of Tom's Pompey content on Fournilwrittenalloverit, external

Andrew Moon
BBC Radio Solent Portsmouth commentator

Image source, Shutterstock

Monday evening might have been a game of limited quality between two Championship strugglers but it was a night no Pompey fan will forget in a hurry.

The final 90 seconds of the match were as crazy as football gets after Pompey had seemingly thrown away a priceless win. Yang Min-hyeok had other ideas though.

It was a bungee jump of emotions that few things in life can deliver.

Given the scoring record of both sides it's no surprise that chances were limited. It felt like a game that one goal would win.

Conor Shaughnessy's return is a huge boost for Pompey, and not just for his near post headers from corners. He is their best defender and if he stays fit will significantly increase their chances of Championship survival.

Callum Lang and Colby Bishop joining Josh Murphy in the treatment room is a big problem. Pompey weren't scoring enough goals with their first choice attack. Breaking down Bristol City and Ipswich, let alone Arsenal, without them will be very challenging.

Being out of the relegation zone is nice but cutting the gap to Charlton to just two points was vital. Both sides are likely to spend the rest of the season battling the drop.

Fans in the UK might wish to hear how Pompey's dramatic win unfolded live on BBC Radio Solent. Click below to relive the moment over and over...

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho described their dramatic 2-1 win over Charlton at Fratton Park as "crazy" as they scored in the 98th minute to take all three points and move out of the relegation places.

He told BBC Radio Solent: "I can't remember being involved in a game in 20-odd years of football like it. It was just crazy at the end. We had our heads in the bin when Charlton equalised having just held out for so long, defending so well.

"Then to go up the other end - I didn't even see the goal, just the ball going in the net - it was a very surreal moment.

"I'd much preferred to have won it 1-0. But, there's a really ecstatic changing-room in there, and hopefully we can build on that and get a bit of that feeling back. We've not really had much of it this year.

"It was important today to try to reel sides in. There shouldn't be an obsession with league position until the back end of the season, but there should be an obsession with good performances and trying to win games. It was a big win tonight."

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho said their 1-1 draw at home to QPR felt like a missed opportunity.

Mousinho's side dominated the first half and led through Terry Devlin's goal, but could have been further ahead.

Rangers were better after the interval and Jimmy Dunne's equaliser earned them a point - and sent Pompey into the Championship relegation zone.

"We were excellent in the first half and well deserving of the lead. We could have had a couple more - that was the only disappointing thing," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent.

"Then in the first 15 to 20 minutes of the second half we just didn't do the things we'd done in the first half and were punished for that.

"On balance, it was a fair result, but the way we dominated the first 45, we definitely should have won the game and had it out of sight by that point, so it does feel like there was an opportunity there to get three points. We created enough to win the game.

"We have to take the point and dust ourselves off, because we've got Charlton here in three days' time."

Portsmouth and Queens Park Rangers will be holding hopes on either side of the table when they face each other on Boxing Day (15:00 GMT) at Fratton Park.

For Pompey, the aim will be to avoid a potential drop into the relegation zone that only a win can provide if Oxford take victory against Southampton.

While a draw could be enough to see the Hoops enter the top six, though three could nestle them into the play-off positions quite nicely.

• Portsmouth did the double over QPR last season, as many times as they'd beaten them in their previous 16 league meetings (D5 L9).

• QPR have won just one of their last six away league games against Portsmouth (D2 L3), beating them 3-1 in the second tier in May 2000.

• Portsmouth have lost their last two Boxing Day league games, last losing more consecutively between 1994 and 1996 (3).

• QPR have won just one of their last 11 Boxing Day league games (D2 L8), failing to score in each of their last five since a 3-0 win against Ipswich in 2018.

• Portsmouth forward Conor Chaplin has scored five goals in six Championship appearances against QPR (4 in 4 for Barnsley, 1 in 2 for Ipswich), his most goals against an opponent at this level.

Image source, Shutterstock

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho says winger Josh Murphy is likely to be available for the visit of QPR on Friday (15:00 GMT kick-off) and has also praised Callum Lang's form since returning to the side.

Murphy was forced off with an injury just eight minutes into the second half during the 1-1 draw at Derby on Saturday, with Lang having scored the opening goal at Pride Park.

"Josh hasn't flagged too badly so we're going to see how he is tomorrow [Wednesday] and go from there," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent.

"We've just gone on the symptoms with Josh and it's settled down really well, so we're pretty hopeful he's going to be available."

Lang finished off an excellent team move for his second goal in two games, having returned at the end of November after missing 13 league matches with injury.

"Really good to have Callum back, we've missed him a lot since that Norwich game [on 16 August]," Mousinho added.

"To come back and score the two goals but also the performances and have that level of influence on the game has been really impressive."

On the prospect of facing QPR, who are seventh and pushing for a play-off spot after five wins in their past seven games, Mousinho added: "They're flying at the moment, they beat Leicester last week, 4-0 up at half-time.

"They've certainly turned things around from a difficult start they had. They've been one of the form sides recently."

Image source, Getty Images

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho admitted that Saturday's goal against Derby County was something that his side had been recently working on.

Pompey opened the scoring in their 1-1 draw with the Rams via an impressive sweeping team move, external that started at one end with goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid and ended up the other with Callum Lang firing the ball into the net.

The goal stood out because of the eye-catching one-touch football that carved Derby open during the early stages of the game.

Mousinho provided some insight into this being a new way of his side playing after struggling with other methods already this campaign.

"It's a distinct area of the game that we've tried to work on," he told BBC Radio Solent.

"This time last year we were a lot more direct and probably a lot more physical going longer, we've tried that at times this year and it hasn't quite worked for a number of reasons.

"Over the last couple of weeks we have tried to play a little bit more, some of the attacking players we've got it's worth really trying to get the ball to their feet.

"It was more a consequence of an attitude shift in the players, they had to be brave and executed it brilliantly.

"You have to take the rough with the smooth because there were moments where we did look slightly vulnerable but we're asking the boys to play forward with purpose, not to keep it relentlessly at the back and I thought they did that really well."

After an encouraging start to the campaign Portsmouth have struggled for form as of late, partly because of injuries, but look to be regaining some confidence with the return of winger Josh Murphy and Saturday's goalscorer Lang.

Over the Christmas period they welcome QPR to Fratton Park on Boxing Day and Charlton on the 29 December before a trip to Bristol City on New Year's Day.

Andrew Moon
BBC Radio Solent commentator

Image source, Getty Images

After four consecutive away defeats this point was very welcome.

Goals have been the issue on the road and the one Portsmouth scored against Derby was a brilliant team move expertly finished off by Callum Lang.

Having him back in the side from injury makes a huge difference.

Despite taking the early lead, Portsmouth were fortunate the equaliser didn't arrive until the stroke of half-time. Derby had been wasteful in front of goal up until that point.

Pompey improved in the second half but without making any clear chances. They must improve in front of goal if they're to survive this season.

They were under the cosh for the final 10 minutes and did well to survive all the pressure with no defenders on the bench able to add reinforcements.

Especially as Regan Poole hadn't played for nearly a month and Hayden Matthews had issues with cramp.

Josh Murphy was brought off as a precaution after feeling his hamstring, with a fit and firing Murphy vital to this team. Without him fixing their issues in the final third will be significantly harder.

Image source, PA Media

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent after the 1-1 draw at Derby County:

"I think it's a good point in the end.

"Obviously the last five or 10 minutes we were hanging on. But not through the whole game.

"I thought we were well worth the point and on another day, not on chance creation but on how well we played, we could have taken all three points."

Derby head into Saturday's game (15:00 GMT) now four points short of the Championship play-off places, but did end a three-game winless run by beating Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 on Monday.

Portsmouth moved out of the relegation zone by beating Blackburn Rovers last weekend, but do have the worst away record in the division.

• Derby are unbeaten in their past 10 league games against Portsmouth (W4 D6), winning this exact fixture 4-0 last season.

• Portsmouth have won just one of their past 10 away league games against Derby (D3 L6), and are winless in six since a 2-1 victory in November 2002.

• Derby were 3-0 winners against Sheffield Wednesday in their previous Championship outing – only once previously have they won consecutive league matches without conceding under John Eustace (1-0 v Norwich and QPR in October this year).

• Following their 2-1 win versus Blackburn, Portsmouth will be looking for consecutive Championship victories for the first time since April (5-3 v Norwich, 1-0 v Watford).

• Two of the three players who have attempted 25+ shots without scoring in the Championship this season play for Portsmouth: Josh Murphy (34) and Conor Chaplin (25), along with QPR's Karamoko Dembélé (33).

Portsmouth are down to a shortlist of players they are targeting when the January transfer window opens, says head coach John Mousinho.

Pompey are only one point clear of the Championship relegation zone as they prepare for Saturday's match at Derby (15:00 GMT) with Mousinho looking to strengthen his squad next month.

"We are at the shortlist stage. We've cut down the long list to four or five players in every position," he told BBC Radio Solent.

"We're still looking at players in every position because we don't know how quickly things are going to change from week-to-week or day-to-day. We've got an idea of what we want, we just have to be fluid with it."

Portsmouth signed eight players in last season's January window as they pulled clear of trouble to retain their Championship status, but Mousinho believes patience will be the key to land the additions they want next month.

"It's difficult for everyone because the players that are going to be available, clubs wait until after the third round of the FA Cup to see what picture changes at their club," he added.

"Until they've got a couple of incomings they don't let players go which is probably sensible.

"The most important thing is everybody wants signings through the door really early but we've done a lot of our business late in January over the three windows I've been here so it's about patience."

Meanwhile Mousinho confirmed defender Regan Poole will be fit for Saturday's game at Pride Park after missing the past two matches with an ankle injury but fellow defender Josh Knight will be out for at least another fortnight with bruising to his back.

Portsmouth's comeback win over relegation rivals Blackburn Rovers was much-needed but the club still need to bring in fresh faces in the January transfer window.

That's according to The News' chief sports writer Neil Allen, who joined BBC Radio Solent's Chris Wise and Andy Moon on this week's Who Needs Mourinho? podcast.

"We put a lot of emphasis on set-pieces when Pompey concede, perhaps we should start putting it on when they score as well?" said Allen.

"It was a simple routine, nothing special, nothing extraordinary, but a great ball into the box and a really good header having lost his man from [Ibane] Bowat.

"We all want Conor Chaplin to succeed and great for him, also great for Bowat - he's had a torrid time at Pompey, mainly through injuries wrecking his first season.

"And for him to end up as the winner in front of the Fratton End was pretty special."

It was defender Bowat's first goal for the club in only his fifth league appearance having missed the whole of last season with a knee injury.

Despite the 2-1 win, which leaves Pompey one point clear of the relegation zone and with a game in hand over 22nd-placed Oxford, Allen believes further reinforcements will be needed to escape danger.

"Pompey still need players in many positions, they still need a big January window," Allen added.

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