PREVIEW | Portsmouth vs Watford - team news, lineups, predictions | OneFootball

Portsmouth and Watford go head-to-head at Fratton Park this Monday in the EFL Championship.

Pompey will be buoyant after a 3-5 triumph over Norwich City at Carrow Road on what was a very Good Friday for the south coast club. John Mousinho's team are in 18th, but look very likely to preserve their second tier status on the back of the Canaries result.

Watford, meanwhile, are solidly mid-table - Tom Cleverley's team beaten 1-2 by title contenders Burnley in their last outing.

The previous meeting between the two teams saw Watford run out 2-1 winners.

The Fan Zone

Freddie Webb (Pompey News Now): Euphoria filled the Carrow Road away end as Pompey put five against a struggling Norwich City side. It was expected to be high scoring due to leaky defences, and the match didn’t disappoint.

Colby Bishop was superb in scoring a perfect hat-trick, with Josh Murphy, Matt Ritchie and Adil Aouchiche providing creative quality to supply him. John Mousinho’s change in the midfield by bringing in Isaac Hayden alongside Freddie Potts was excellent, as The Blues were able to win more tackles in the midfield and create space. With that crucial away win - something the fans have been clamouring for all season - Portsmouth have put themselves in a prime position to stay up.

Mousinho’s men are expected to be the favourites against Watford. Fuelled by adrenaline after Good Friday’s win, and returning to Fratton Park where scalps have been taken all season. The Hornets will be struggling due to a threadbare squad. Giorgi Chakvetadze and Kwadwo Baah are out injured, with Edo Kayembe and Moussa Sissoko also being unavailable through suspension. Their ambitions of promotion are also crushed, being ten points outside the playoffs with ten games left.

Pompey will want to secure Championship football next season, and they won’t want to let it slip.

Prediction: 2-0

Tom Wicks - Golden Pages: The Golden Boys worried Burnley at the weekend, despite being down to nine men for much of the second half. The togetherness and stubbornness was there for all to see.

At this point of the season, plasters are being used to plug major wounds. Another two senior pros were dismissed at the weekend and both will serve a one-match ban. The fringe players and the youngsters will be asked to step up and play a major role, which maybe a dress rehearsal for next season, as it is likely that the talent will be drained from the squad, to plug financial gaps.

As we look at Monday, Portsmouth are in a decent run of form. I reckon that the Hornets will be galvanised by the Burnley performance and will battle their way to a point at Fratton Park.

Prediction: 1-1

Predicted lineups

Portsmouth: Nicolas Schmid, Zak Swanson, Regan Poole, Rob Atkinson, Connor Ogilvie, Freddie Potts, Andre Dozzell, Matt Ritchie, Adil Aouchiche, Josh Murphy, Colby Bishop

Watford: Egil Selvik, Jeremy Ngakia, James Abankwah, Mattie Pollock, Caleb Wiley, Pierre Dwomoh, Imran Louza, Tom Dele-Bashiru, Rocco Vata, Tom Ince, Mamadou Doumbia

Unavailable

Portsmouth

Watford

Last starting XIs

Portsmouth ( vs Norwich City 2025-04-18): Nicolas Schmid, Jordan Williams, Regan Poole, Rob Atkinson, Connor Ogilvie, Freddie Potts, Isaac Hayden, Matt Ritchie, Adil Aouchiche, Josh Murphy, Colby Bishop

Watford ( vs Burnley 2025-04-18): Egil Selvik, Jeremy Ngakia, Mattie Pollock, James Abankwah, Caleb Wiley, Imran Louza, Pierre Dwomoh, Moussa Sissoko, Edo Kayembe, Rocco Vata, Mamadou Doumbia