AFC Wimbledon v Portsmouth: early team news, predicted XIs, referee, form guides, key stats

Pompey face an in-form AFC Wimbledon side in a must-win match in south-west London to keep their promotion dreams alive.
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The Blues must move on from their last-minute heartbreak against Accrington in order to secure themselves a place in the play-offs.

And only a win will do against a Dons outfit who have only lost once in their past seven matches.

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The Plough Lane side, meanwhile, will be hoping to guarantee their own safety from relegation, as one point will be enough for them to be back in League One next season.

Here’s all you need to know ahead of kick-off (3pm).

AFC Wimbledon team news

Ethan Chislett returned to training last week after recovering from an Achilles tendon injury and could be available to head coach Mark Robinson.

The South-African attacking-midfielder, who’s played 36 times for the Dons so far, has not featured since April 5.

Pompey take on AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane today (3pm).Pompey take on AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane today (3pm).
Pompey take on AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane today (3pm).

Centre-back Terrell Thomas also came back from injury in a London Senior Cup match against Balham on April 22.

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Last season’s player of the year featured for 30 minutes after four months on the treatment table, alongside young striker Shayon Harrison, who also returned to fitness.

First-team coach, Rob Tuvey, said the 23-year-old striker is available for Saturday’s match.

Full-back Darnell Johnson, on loan from Leicester City, also returned to training last week.

The Jamaican was recovering from an ankle ligament injury he sustained against Wigan Athletic in March.

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Midfielder Callum Reilly is out for the rest of the season with a fractured ankle.

Predicted line-up

Nikola Tzanev, Nesta Guinness-Walker, Will Nightingale, Ben Heneghan, Cheye Alexander, Jack Rudoni, Alex Woodyard, George Dobson, Ayoub Assal, Ollie Palmer, Joe Pigott. Substitutes: Matthew Cox, Luke O’Neill, Paul Kalambayi, Paul Osew, Shane McLoughlin, Ryan Longman, Jaakko Oksanen.

Pompey team news

Jordy Hiwula is back training with Pompey following his ankle injury.

However, his return is unlikely to see him feature against AFC Wimbledon.

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The forward picked up an ankle injury in Danny Cowley’s first game in charge – against Ipswich on March 20.

It was his first league start of the Blues – but it came at a cost.

The injury was always likely to see him miss the rest of the regular season.

That early prognosis looks accurate, with just two games remaining.

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Yet Hiwula, whose contracts expires at the end of the campaign, will be keen to at least be involved against Accrington on the final day of the season – and possibly the play-offs.

In other news, Lee Brown is fully fit after a hamstring injury and in contention to feature against the Dons.

Predicted line-up

Craig MacGillivray, Callum Johnson, Sean Raggett, Rasmus Nicolaisen, Lee Brown, Ben Close, Tom Naylor, Marcus Harness, Ryan Williams, John Marquis, Ronan Curtis. Subs: Lewis Ward, Paul Downing, James Bolton, Charlie Daniels, Andy Cannon, George Byers, Harvey White.

Match-day odds (bet365)

AFC Wimbledon: 2/1

1-0 17/2, 2-0 14/1, 2-1 10/1, 3-0 33/1, 3-1 22/1, 3-2 33/1

Pompey: 5/4

1-0 7/1, 2-0 10/1, 2-1 17/2, 3-0 20/1, 3-1 18/1, 3-2 28/1

Draw: 12/5

0-0 9/1, 1-1 11/2, 2-2 14/1, 3-3 50/1

Referee

Charles Breakspear

AFC Wimbledon stats

League position: 19th

Top scorer: Joe Pigott (21)

Top assists: Joe Pigott (5)

Most appearances: Joe Pigott (50)

Pompey stats

League position: 6th

Top scorer: John Marquis (18)

Top assists: Marcus Harness (10)

Most appearances: Tom Naylor and Sean Raggett (51)

Form guide (all competitions)

AFC Wimbledon: P53 W16 D16 L21

Past five games

D 3-3 Rochdale (H) – League One

D 0-0 Ipswich Town (A) – League One

W 2-1 Oxford United (H) – League One

W 4-1 Swindon Town (H) – League One

W 3-0 Ipswich Town (H) – League One

Pompey: P56 W26 D9 L21

Past five games

D 3-3 Accrington Stanley (A) – League One

W 1-0 Bristol Rovers (H) – League One

L 3-1 Swindon (A) – League One

L 1-0 MK Dons (A) – League One

D 0-0 Crewe (A) – League One

Other fixtures

Today (all 3pm kick-offs unless stated)

Accrington v Charlton, Bristol Rovers v Crewe, Burton v Gillingham, Fleetwood v MK Dons, Hull v Wigan, Northampton v Blackpool, Peterborough v Lincoln City, Plymouth v Sunderland, Rochdale v Doncaster, Shrewsbury v Oxford, Swindon v Ipswich.