Preview: Portsmouth vs. Fleetwood Town - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors, meanwhile, have lost only two games this season, and they will have the chance to clinch a third consecutive away league victory.

Match preview

Portsmouth could not have wished for a better start to the campaign, winning six and drawing three of their opening 10 league games.

A 94th-minute equaliser from Reeco Hackett against Plymouth extended Pompey's unbeaten start to nine games, but they missed out on the chance of going 10 matches without a defeat when they faced Ipswich Town last Saturday.

Portsmouth looked set to salvage a point after coming from behind on a couple of occasions at Portman Road thanks to Colby Bishop, who scored two penalties, but within a minute of Bishop celebrating his second effort of the game, Wes Burns scored what proved to be the winner, condemning Pompey to a 3-2 defeat.

They bounced back on Tuesday with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Aston Villa Under 21s in the EFL Trophy, and they will look to build upon their midweek performance against Fleetwood.

Danny Cowley's side head into the weekend with six points separating them from the top two, but with two games in hand, they will confident of closing that gap, and they will also be hopeful of claiming a positive result on Saturday as they look to maintain their unbeaten home record in League One.

Meanwhile, Fleetwood have proven to be a tough team to beat this season, having lost only two of their 11 league games.

However, seven draws in that period has slightly halted their progress, leaving them in 12th place with 15 points to their name.

With five points separating them from the top six, the playoff places are very much in sight for Fleetwood, who will be looking to claim conseucitve victories after beating Burton Albion last weekend to record their third win of the League One season.

Harvey Macadam's 34th-minute effort proved to be enough to guide Scott Brown's side to consecutive away victories, ensuring the Cod Army are unbeaten on their travels since losing to Port Vale on the opening weekend of the campaign.

Having lost only one of their previous 10 league games, and currently unbeaten in their last four away trips in League One, Fleetwood will believe they have the quality to clinch a positive result.

Portsmouth League One form:

W

W

W

W

D

L

Portsmouth form (all competitions):

L

W

W

D

L

W

Fleetwood Town League One form:

D

D

W

D

L

W

Fleetwood Town form (all competitions):

D

W

D

D

L

W

Team News

The hosts are unable to call upon the services of Jayden Reid, Joe Rafferty and Louis Thompson, who are all currently sidelined with injury issues.

Tom Lowery is nearing a return from injury and could feature in the matchday squad, but he may have to settle for a place on the bench, with Cowley expected to opt for the same starting lineup that featured against Ipswich.

Meanwhile, Bishop will provide one of Portsmouth's main goal threats as he looks to add to the seven league goals he has scored this season.

As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon Darnell Johnson due to an injury issue, while they have doubts over the fitness of Toto Nsiala who was forced off in the victory over Burton.

Nsiala was replaced by Michael Devlin, who also had to be substituted after picking up an injury, which could rule him out of Saturday's contest.

Admiral Muskwe will continue to lead the line for Fleetwood, with the 24-year-old looking to add to the one goal he has scored in his five league appearances this season.

Portsmouth possible starting lineup:

Griffiths; Ogilvie, Morrison, Raggett, Robertson; Dale, Pack, Morrell, Koroma; Scarlett, Bishop

Fleetwood Town possible starting lineup:

Lynch; Johnston, Rooney, Earl, Andrew; Vela, Warrington; Macadam, Lane, Mendes; Muskwe

We say: Portsmouth 2-1 Fleetwood Town

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