Southend v Portsmouth: League One tips and betting preview

TV: Sky Sports Football/Main Event, 12.30pm Saturday

Portsmouth's Sky Bet League One promotion hopes have been severely damaged in recent weeks but they can get back to winning ways by beating struggling Southend at Roots Hall.

Kenny Jackett's side have gone five league games without a victory since winning 2-1 victory at home to Wimbledon on New Year's Day but are still in contention, only three points outside the automatic promotion places.

Confidence has taken a few knocks but Pompey played well enough in a 1-1 draw at Plymouth last Saturday and their League One away record – nine wins, four draws and three defeats – is the best in the division.

Jackett beefed up his attacking options in January with the loan acquisition of Omar Bogle from Cardiff and has been rewarded with two goals in three appearances from the 26-year-old, who has enough pace and power to trouble the majority of third-tier defences.

But Bogle needs better support from wingers Jamal Lowe and Ronan Curtis and attacking midfielder Gareth Evans, who have struggled to maintain the excellence of their early-season performances.

It might take one moment for Pompey's attack to click back into gear and that may arrive against injury-hit Southend, who look extremely fragile and could be in relegation danger despite the six-point gap to the drop zone.

Shrimpers boss Chris Powell is without the services of 11 injured players and suspended midfielder Dru Yearwood.

He will have to stick largely with the same team who lost 3-0 at Doncaster on Tuesday.

Powell may be hoping for the players to rise to the big occasion in front of the Sky cameras but his team lack quality and experience in key areas of the pitch and are likely to taste defeat for the second time in five days.

Sky Bet League One standings

Recommendation
Portsmouth
3pts 17-16 188bet

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Southend
John White (groin) joins Stephen Hendrie, Harry Bunn, Mark Oxley, Ben Coker, Tom Hopper, Harry Kyprianou, Lewis Gard, Sam Barrett, Rob Kiernan and Jason Demetriou on the sidelines. Dru Yearwood continues a three-game ban.

Portsmouth
Jack Whatmough (knee) is out long-term and Tom Naylor completes a two-match ban.

Key stat
Southend have lost seven of their last ten home fixtures.

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