Portsmouth vs Sheffield United predictions: Blades to make sharp start

Portsmouth have endured a tough start to life back in the Championship and things are unlikely to get any easier when unbeaten Sheffield United head to Fratton Park on Saturday.

Pompey are back in the second tier after a 12-year absence, but they have failed to win any of their opening six league games, losing each of the previous three.

In contrast, Sheffield United have quickly shaken off the disappointment of last season’s relegation and are unbeaten in the league, winning four of their six matches, including each of the last three.

Portsmouth’s treatment room is a busy one, with Callum Lang the latest to join it after he suffered a groin injury in last weekend’s defeat at Burnley.

Jacob Farrell, Ibane Bowat, Kusini Yengi and Colby Bishop all remain unavailable to manager John Mousinho, but there is better news regarding Conor Shaughnessy and Mark O’Mahony, who could both be involved on Saturday.

As for Sheffield United, midfielder Ollie Arblaster remains sidelined with an ankle issue, while Jack Robinson and Tom Davies have returned to training, but Saturday’s match is expected to come too soon for both.

Portsmouth have failed to win any of their seven matches across all competitions this season and have lost their previous three against Sunderland, West Brom and Burnley.

Pompey have also failed to score in three of their four home matches this season, while their last victory at Championship level was a 2-1 success against Crystal Palace at Fratton Park in April 2012.

United are unbeaten in the league this season and have registered three successive victories against Watford, Hull and Derby, keeping clean-sheets in all of those games.

Chris Wilder’s side have only lost two of their last 16 matches in the Championship, a run that dates back to March 2023.

This will be the first meeting between these two sides since Portsmouth claimed a 3-0 home success in April 2013 when both teams were playing in League One.

A glance at the formbook suggests this should be a routine away victory for an unbeaten Sheffield United side against a Portsmouth team struggling to find their feet in the second tier.

The Blades are certainly enjoying life back at this level and they have tended to start matches strongly, as they have been ahead at half-time in four of their six league games to date, going on to win three of those.

By contrast, Pompey have lost three of their four home matches this season and have been behind at the break in all of those defeats, including their most recent Fratton Park clash against West Brom when they conceded inside the first minute.

These two sides are set to be battling on different fronts this season and Sheffield United should be able to underline their promotion credentials with a routine win on the south coast, one that could see them take control from a long way out.

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