‘Huge amount riding on it’: Stakes high for Portsmouth boss in top-of-the-table Bolton Wanderers showdown under Fratton lights

John Mousinho is adamant there’s a huge amount at stake in his side’s promotion battle with Bolton.

And the Pompey boss has urged his side to rise to the occasion of locking horns with their fellow high fliers under the lights at Fratton Park.

Ian Evatt’s men arrive at PO4 on Monday night for the Sky Sports televised showdown as the division’s two pacesetters go head to head. Mousinho refused to play down the clash with his demand for the Blues to use the occasion as fuel to perform.

He said: ‘There’s a lot on the match obviously in terms of where the sides are in league position and the fact it’s on TV and a Monday night at Fratton Park adds to it as well.

‘It’s important to get the right balance between recognising it’s another game worth three points, but also not playing it down too much and realising it is a significant game.

‘There’s a lot riding on it and one of the things we want to do is encourage the lads to play to the occasion, rise to the occasion and take in the emotion of playing at home in front of those fans under the lights. I think that can only benefit us.

‘So there’s a real fine balance, but I don’t think we should play it down and say it’s another game and there’s nothing else to it.

‘It feels bigger than other games but ultimately there’s three points at stake. It does feel big though, because it’s three points against a team who are right behind us, are on our heels and have been up there in the last couple of weeks taking top spot at one point. So from that point of view there is a huge amount riding on it.’

It’s certain to be a packed and vibrant Fratton Park as Bolton arrive for the eagerly anticipated occasion. That’s a fact not lost on Mousinho, who feels the game is exactly the type of match players should want to be part of.

He added: ‘We want the players to enjoy it and they will enjoy it by putting in a good performance and hopefully winning the game. That’s the best way to enjoy it.

‘They should enjoy playing for Portsmouth all of the time and enjoy playing at Fratton Park in these sort of games against big clubs like Bolton. These are the sort of games you should want to play in through you career, so it’s definitely one to savour for the lads.’