‘I would suggest…’: EFL pundit’s massive Portsmouth call in Championship survival battle with Derby County, Cardiff City, Plymouth Argyle & Co

Rob Atkinson’s stoppage-time leveller in the 2-2 draw against Derby County last weekend, has been backed to keep John Mousinho’s side in the second tier.

That’s the view of EFL expert, Ali Maxwell, who believes the dramatic late events at Fratton Park last weekend were a huge moment in the race for survival.

Two-goal Atkinson, of course, struck late against the relegation rivals, after also putting the ball in his own net in an ebb-and-blow battle with John Eustace’s side.

Maxwell, who hosts respected EFL podcast Not The Top 20 with George Elek, feels it would have been ‘squeaky bum time’ for John Mousinho’s side if they’d fallen to defeat.

That would have meant Derby would have gone above Pompey in the table, and the gap to the bottom three would’ve been three points. Instead Atkinson lifted the mood, with Maxwell making comparison between the defender and Masters winner Rory McIlroy after his tumultuous afternoon.

Speaking on the latest Not The Top 20 podcast, Maxwell said: ‘Rob Atkinson was a bit of a main character here.

‘The first player to score twice and score an own goal in a Championship game since Lewis Grabban for Sunderland against Norwich in 2017.

‘And I guess Rory McIlroy must have been watching and feeling inspired because he basically did an Atkinson at Augusta. He did some amazing stuff, then he lit himself on fire and then he finished in glory.

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‘That was a massive goal in terms of the relegation picture, because had Derby won this they would have gone level with Pompey and three points clear of the drop. And now they're the ones just above it still - only one point above it.

‘Portsmouth are now four clear as well. So from a Pompey point of view, and I'm sure they won't be feeling this comfortable, I would suggest that goal has more or less secured survival, whereas if they hadn't scored it, wow, it would have been squeaky bum time.’

Derby and Pompey highlight art of headers

Elek highlighted the quality of aerial play on a frantic Fratton Park afternoon, with three of the four goals scored arriving from headers.

Yates forcefully finished the first in the 71st minute, before Atkinson rose high to head home Josh Murphy’s corner just a minute later. Then, after his own goal, it was an unusual late leveller from the Bristol City man, as he reacted to a thumping assist from Nico Schmid by guiding the ball into the net with the back of his head.

Elek added: ‘We also had to say that the quality of the header finishes in this game was unbelievable, I thought. The Yates header was fantastic, the Atkinson first header was also very, very good from a set piece.

‘And then even the equaliser, where it's a pretty weird one, but he managed to kind of almost just push it, just guide it - fun, fun headed goals.’

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