Marquis starts: The predicted Portsmouth XI to face Cambridge on Monday | OneFootball

Portsmouth will be raring to go after seeing their last two games postponed following a good run of form heading into the Christmas schedule.

Pompey are unbeaten in their previous nine league games which included a 4-0 demolition of fellow playoff chasers Ipswich Town to really throw down their promotion gauntlet.

They will be coming up against Cambridge United side who have been impacted by Covid postponements themselves and will be looking to increase the gap between them and the relegation places.

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Cambridge have had an inconsistent last six games compared to Portsmouth picking up three defeats, two wins and a draw in that time.

Nonetheless, Danny Cowley will be hoping to get their season going again after 23 days without a game.

But how will Pompey set up going into this one with a few absentees potentially set to return? We had a go at predicting his line-up ahead of this clash.

The line-up could largely be unchanged for Portsmouth heading into their game with Cambridge with George Hirst being the only player to drop out of the team.

John Marquis could come into replace him as the former Doncaster and Millwall forward has been working up his match fitness since sustaining an injury earlier in the season and would provide some much needed physicality up front for Cowley’s side.

The only potential hurdle to that is Marquis being heavily linked with a move away from Fratton Park with the transfer window now underway and the forwards deal coming to an end this season.

The midfield could also be unchanged following the impressive form from  Marcus Harness and the creative display from Miguel Azeez against Morecambe in their last fixture.

Portsmouth are boosted by the returns of Clark Robertson, Louis Thompson and Ryan Tunnicliffe but only one will make the squad for Cambridge after lengthy lay-offs.