EFL make official decision ahead of Portsmouth vs Swansea City

The officiating team for Portsmouth’s upcoming Championship clash against Swansea City has been confirmed, with James Linington to take charge at Fratton Park.

Pompey return home for New Year’s Day and will welcome an impressive Swansea outfit to the south coast, hoping to start 2025 better than they finished 2024. John Mousinho’s side dropped into 23rd and are now two points from safety - albeit with games in hand on their rivals - following Sunday’s disappointing 3-0 defeat at Bristol City.

Three goals in 20 first-half minutes effectively ended the contest at Ashton Gate before the break, with John Mousinho’s side barely laying a glove on their hosts despite chasing a significant deficit. Portsmouth will therefore be desperate to bounce back from that weekend performance when Swansea come to town on Wednesday.

Pompey vs Swansea referee

And the EFL have now confirmed the appointment of Linington to take charge of the all-important New Year’s Day clash. It will be his second game of the season involving Pompey, and those inside Fratton Park will hope for a repeat of his first, a 2-1 win at Queens Park Rangers back in October.

Linington has become a regular at Championship-level this season, officiating seven second-tier games as well as two in League One. And the man in the middle on Wednesday is among the stricter referees, blowing for an average of 23.57 fouls and brandishing five yellow cards per game.

October’s meeting between QPR and Portsmouth was a relatively uncontroversial affair, with Linington showing four yellow cards as Mousinho’s men came from behind to beat QPR at Loftus Road. On Wednesday, he will be assisted by Alex James and Matthew Jones, with fourth official Andy Davies between the dugouts.

Home form keeping Pompey afloat

Following consecutive defeats on the road, Pompey will hope a return to Fratton Park hands them an opportunity to get points on the board. Mousinho’s men have been hugely impressive at home in recent weeks, taking 13 points from the last 15 on offer with three wins and a draw.

And the goals have flowed at Fratton Park, with those three wins against Preston North End, Bristol City and Coventry City yielding 10 goals. That Portsmouth went from beating Bristol 3-0 to losing by the same scoreline at Ashton Gate suggests there is a significant difference in their form on the road.

Those points have allowed Pompey to remain within touching distance of safety, despite playing a game less than most and two less than Hull City, who are currently two points clear in 21st. But that home form will need to continue if they are to achieve the main goal of survival come May.

They will be tested on Wednesday against a Swansea outfit who have been decent away from home this season. Luke Williams’ side did suffer a disappointing defeat at Hull City last time out but prior to that, had lost just one in six on the road. Sunday’s 2-1 win at home to Luton Town pulled the Swans into ninth.