'I keep saying it': Portsmouth boss sounds relegation wake-up call after sobering Plymouth defeat

The Blues’ 2-1 defeat to a Plymouth side previously without victory in 20 league matches has handed the Championship’s bottom club a precious lifeline.

At the same time, positive midweek results for many of their rivals have reduced Pompey’s distance from the drop zone from 10 points to seven, with nine matches remaining.

Mousinho is concerned too many presumptuously considered the relegation threat now over following Sunday’s impressive win over Leeds.

And he is keen to remind the Fratton faithful - and his players - that the Blues are not clear yet.

He told The News: ‘I keep saying it and I can’t emphasise the point any more.

‘Derby have picked up six points in four days, Luton have won, Plymouth have won, Stoke have won, Hull have won.

‘It’s the most ridiculous thing for us to get carried away with anything other than thinking we are in a scrap and have to do everything we possibly can to make sure we pick up enough points.

‘I keep saying it, whenever we pick up a win we need that mentality as a football club to say “Fine, we’ve got to go again and again and again” - because very, very quickly you get dragged back into it.

‘There are nine points available this week and there are going to be other periods this season when there’s so many points available in a short space of time. We have to be a lot better at dealing with that.

‘Absolutely that has been my message to the players, my message to the media, that is what I genuinely believe.

‘There can’t be any more evidence than there has been this week where the bottom three sides have won, including Derby picking up six points. It’s very tight.’

Rivals close the relegation gap

On Wednesday night, chasing clubs Hull beat Oxford United 2-1, while Stoke claimed a 1-0 victory over Blackburn to close the gap on Pompey.

The previous evening, Luton posted a 2-1 win at Cardiff, while Derby followed up their three points against Blackburn at the weekend to register a 2-0 triumph over Coventry.

With all the bottom three winning, having previously been cut adrift, it drags others above them back into the relegation battle.

And with Pompey conquerors Plymouth hosting Derby on Saturday, there are plenty more twists and turns to come.

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