Last Word on Football brings you the latest team news and predicted lineups ahead of the Portsmouth vs Leicester EFL Championship showdown. It’s a huge game at Fratton Park with both sides desperate to take all three points. For Pompey, a recent uptick in performances has taken them four points clear of the relegation zone. They picked up wins against Middlesbrough and Ipswich, and haven’t tasted defeat in four games. Meanwhile, it’s not the same story for the Foxes. Leicester have just two league wins since the turn of the year. Last time out, a defeat to Swansea brought them one step closer to their impending doom; they now sit 23rd and five points from safety.
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Venue: Fratton Park
Kick-off: 12:30 GMT
Last meeting: Leicester 1-1 Portsmouth (October 18, 2025).
Referee: Gavin Ward
Portsmouth Team News
The hosts come into this eagerly anticipated encounter with momentum. The win away at Middlesbrough was huge for their season, especially when you consider that was Boro’s fifth defeat this season at the Riverside. Furthermore, they also dealt a major blow to Ipswich’s automatic promotion aspirations. John Mousinho’s side kept a clean sheet against one of the best attacking teams in the league and even found two goals.
Ahead of this weekend, Mousinho talked about his side’s recent form. He said: “Those results have given us a chance, and we’ve put ourselves in a much better position, although the table still looks incredibly tight at the bottom.”. However, he also believes these performances don’t automatically rule out Leicester. “I feel that Leicester have been a bit unlucky in the past few weeks with some of the results they’ve had, so this is a huge game for everyone,” he explained.
In terms of injuries, midfielder Ebou Adams could return to the side this weekend. He’s not featured since a 6-1 defeat to QPR on March 21. Mousinho noted: “If he comes through everything okay on Friday, then we expect him to be available to face Leicester.”
Leicester Team News
Ahead of Saturday’s clash, Gary Rowett discussed any injury concerns. Jordan James has been at the forefront of these issues, as his heel injury prevented him from starting last weekend. “We have no fresh injuries, but we’ve got a couple we’ve got to monitor to see how they are,” the 52-year-old explained. “It’s just one or two of those players. JJ is the main one.” The 21-year-old only managed 17 minutes against Swansea, which led to Harry Winks partnering Oliver Skipp.
In addition to this, following the Swansea game, it was confirmed that both Ben Nelson and Caleb Okoli are likely to be out for the rest of the season. Aaron Ramsey may also be a doubt heading into the must-win clash. “Aaron Ramsey is back training, so we’ll assess when we think he’s fit enough to be involved,” Rowett explained.
Outside of the injuries, Rowett also touched on whether his squad is suited to the current situation they find themselves in. He said: “We probably don’t really have a squad who are designed for a relegation battle.” It’s concerning words, but it’s something City fans have become accustomed to. A defeat on Saturday could all but confirm a third relegation in four years, with several of the same players present throughout.
Portsmouth Predicted Lineup
Schmid
Devlin
Poole
Shaughnessy
Williams
Dozzell
Pack
Segecic
Anderson
Alli
Bishop
Leicester Predicted Lineup
Stolarczyk
Okoli
Lascelles
Thomas
Winks
Fatawu
Mukasa
Mavididi
Daka
Featured Image Credit
IMAGO / Every Second
