Portsmouth v Derby: play-off push meets survival fight | OneFootball

Portsmouth host Derby County in the Championship at Fratton Park on Monday, 16 March 2026, with the hosts looking to pull further clear of the relegation zone and the visitors chasing the play-off picture.

Portsmouth sit 20th with 40 points, while Derby County are eighth on 54. Recent meetings have been tight: six of the past seven league games between the sides ended level, including a 1-1 draw in December.

Form points to a scrap. Portsmouth have taken one win in their past five league matches, losing three. Derby won back-to-back home games before a narrow defeat at Millwall, making it two victories and three losses across their last five.

Availability could shape the contest. Portsmouth list several absentees, including Joshua Murphy, Regan Poole, André Dozzell and Josh Knight. The visitors are also stretched, with Josh Vickers, Jacob Zetterström, Callum Elder, Sondre Langås, Max Johnston, Lars-Jorgen Salvesen, Danny Batth and Liam Thompson ruled out.

The Rams' route may be through width and aerial power: they've scored 15 headed goals this season, with Joe Ward supplying seven league assists and forwards Patrick Agyemang and Carlton Morris on 10 goals apiece. Portsmouth have yet to score from set pieces this campaign, so the hosts may need open-play combinations to create chances.

A win would lift Portsmouth to 43 points and could ease them further from the bottom three. Derby would move to 57 points with victory, strengthening their push towards the top six. A draw would keep both trajectories broadly unchanged, preserving the tight middle pack.