Portsmouth vs Blackburn Prediction: Pompey chimes to toll for Rovers

Portsmouth currently sit four points above the drop zone and with just eight matches to go in the Championship, they have to start winning matches to give themselves some breathing room. Their Fratton Park form has been good, and they have a great opportunity to add another three points to their total when they welcome Blackburn Rovers to the South Coast on Saturday (15:00). 

Below you can find my Portsmouth vs Blackburn predictions featuring team news and more. 

Team News

Portsmouth are yet again set to be without Kusini Yengi out after he hurt himself in training Down Under over the international break. John Mousinho has no other fresh worries to contend with, so Matt Ritchie is likely to come in to replace Yengi from the last starting XI at Preston. 

If that happens then Adi Aouchiche will move into the number 10 role, with Colby Bishop pushed back up front to lead the line. Another change could see Connor Ogilvie play at left-back, a move that would see Marlon Pack return to the centre of defence. Josh Murphy will provide the attacking thrust from the left in a 4-2-3-1 as Pompey target another important home win. 

Callum Lang, Hayden Matthews and Ibane Bowat are all set to miss the remainder of the campaign for the hosts.

Football Odds

Andreas Weimann is in the same situation for Rovers, while Augustus Kargbo, Danny Batth, Harry Leonard and Harry Pickering are all set to miss out in PO4. Blackburn are also likely to be without Owen Beck, Scott Wharton and Zak Gilsenan, who are targeting returns but may not make this one. 

Valerien Ismael may still choose to shake things up, with Todd Cantwell and Amario Cozier-Duberry alternative options in the final third. Makhtar Gueye is set to lead the line once again, while Hayden Carter should partner Dom Hyam at the back in the absence of Batth.

Portsmouth vs Blackburn Odds

Portsmouth are 5/4 to win this one, giving them an implied win probability of 44%. A draw can be backed at 11/5, while Blackburn are 12/5 to win their sixth away game of the campaign. 

Over 2.5 goals is 6/5 which is worth considering given Pompey top that chart with a success rate of 66%. BTTS is 10/11, while Bishop is the favourite to score first at 11/2. 

Portsmouth to win @ 5/4

Portsmouth have won nine of their 19 fixtures at Fratton Park this term and there’s something special about the atmosphere at this old football ground. I’m more than happy to side with the home side to come out on top in this one because even though they have lost three of their last four matches, they’ve won three of their last four on home soil. 

I also think that they are coming up against a Rovers outfit that have lost their way. The exit of John Eustace was always going to have a negative impact, but the arrival of Ismael appears to have made them worse. A 2-1 defeat to Cardiff before the break was worrying, and they’ve now picked up just one point from their last five. 

After three defeats on the spin to relegation candidates, I don’t think they have what it takes to find anything in this tough away game. The beach is calling for Blackburn and Pompey should take full advantage. 

Colby Bishop to score @ 2/1

Got to back the main man for Pompey. I honestly believe their season would have looked far more comfortable had Bishop not missed the first 14 games of the campaign. Pompey only won one of those as they sat bottom of the table, but things have picked up with his return, and he’s up to seven goals for the season. 

Two of those goals have come in his last three Championship appearances, with the last one coming at Deepdale when he was deployed in a slightly deeper role. With Yengi out, he will be leading the line once again and I think he can take advantage of a Blackburn defence that is without a clean sheet in their last five. 

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