Pompey take on AFC Wimbledon under the Fratton floodlights tomorrow in the first round of the Carabao Cup.
Team News
Kenny Jackett may give some of his fringe players a run out as he admits the league is his top priority, but David Wheeler and Louis Dennis could make their first Blues starts and Luke McGee may be given a taste of first team football. Conor Chaplin has also been declared fit to play.
Former Pompey winger Andy Barcham has a toe injury and is unlikely to play for the Dons tomorrow and manager Neal Ardley has stated he will make four or five changes to the side that drew with Coventry on Saturday.
The Match
Ah, the League Cup. A competition that hasn't been kind to Pompey in the past and one which has seen the Blues go no further than round two since 2009 when they reached the quarter-finals under Avram Grant as a Premier League side.
Being a top end League One team doesn't mean that progress is guaranteed but wouldn't it be lovely to get to the third round and pull out one of the big clubs at home for a change? At least playing a weakened Wimbledon gives Pompey a great chance to make the second round and hope for a favourable draw.
The only question is who plays tomorrow night? It seems like Brett Pitman could come back into the side after missing the Blackpool game and his partner up top could be Conor Chaplin who surely has a point to prove.
McGee is another who will want to stake his claim in the starting XI having lost his place to Craig MacGillivray but the back four should remain unchanged. Could Brandan Haunstrup return? Will Wheeler be given his full debut? Is Danny Rose going to come back into centre midfield?
Whoever is picked should be good enough to dispatch a diluted Dons team.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups
Pompey
GK: Luke McGEE
RB: Anton WALKES
CB: Matt CLARKE
CB: Jack WHATMOUGH
LB: Lee BROWN
RM: David WHEELER
CM: Danny ROSE
CM: Tom NAYLOR
LM: Louis DENNIS
CF: Conor CHAPLIN
CF: Brett PITMAN
Wimbledon
GK: Tom KING
RB: Tennai WATSON
CB: Adedeji OSHILAJA
CB: Will NIGHTINGALE
LB: Ben PURRINGTON
RM: Anthony HARTIGAN
CM: Anthony WORDSWORTH
CM: Liam TROTTER
LM: Scott WAGSTAFF
CF: James HANSON
CF: Kwesi APPIAH
Last Time: Portsmouth 2 AFC Wimbledon 1 (League One - 26/12/2017)
A dull first half was lit up as Ben Close's long range strike gave Pompey the lead just before the break and whilst the Dons levelled through Lyle Taylor's penalty in the second half, Pitman scored one of his own to ensure the festive cheer would stay on the south coast.
My Prediction
This will be a test of Pompey's squad depth given the changes to be made to both sides and it's a test they should pass.
Portsmouth 2 AFC Wimbledon 1