Morecambe boss Stephen Robinson reveals his Portsmouth battle plan as he aims to right wrongs of Sunderland hammering

When the Blues were hosting AC Milan in the UEFA Cup in 2008-09, the Shrimps were enjoying their maiden EFL season, after promotion from the Conference a year before.

But Robinson has explained how his side aren’t coming to the south coast to make up the numbers – and expects his team to take the game to the hosts.

The Shrimps come into this afternoon's showdown following a 5-0 humiliation to Sunderland in midweek.

Lee Johnson’s side stormed into a 2-0 lead inside 17 minutes four days ago, before Leon Dajaku completed the rout after Alex Pritchard’s strike and Nathan Broadhead’s second.

The visitors have suffered an indifferent set of results following their promotion from League Two last season, and currently sit one place and one point above the relegation zone.

Alongside victories against Lincoln and Sheffield Wednesday, Morecambe have added a 4-0 defeat to MK Dons and a 3-1 humbling to Oxford to their Black Cats misery.

And although the former AFC Bournemouth player understands the task at hand against play-off pushing Pompey, he’s demanded an improved performance from their Sunderland showing.

Speaking to the Lancaster Guardian he said: ‘We will go to Portsmouth and have a right go.

‘We will press them high up the pitch and we just need to be better as a group defensively.

‘People have said to me that you should get beaten at Sunderland; the size of the club, stadium, fan base.

‘But it was not acceptable. It was a poor performance.’

Morecambe have the worst defensive record in League One this term and have conceded 11 goals in their past four matches.

Robinson has challenged his players to improve this statistic throughout the remainder of the season, after revealing some home truths after their Stadium of Light mauling.

He added: ‘The players have had some harsh words said to them.

‘People have to step up. We are not getting done by numbers or lack of organisation, it’s a real desire to defend which is letting us down.’

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