A Portsmouth moment to go down in folklore as former Bournemouth and Shrewsbury Town wrecking ball sets new standard

Christian Saydee has been challenged to maintain a new high after writing himself into Fratton folklore.

John Mousinho has tasked the huge fans’ favourite with rising to the challenge of being a Pompey player, after his Northampton Town demolition job.

Saydee put in a wrecking ball display at Sixfields, which was brutal even by the standards the 21-year-old has set since arriving at PO4 last summer.

The attacker’s performance included a moment for the ages in the first half, where the Londoner bulldozed through the Cobblers back line with players bouncing off him as they made vain efforts to halt his progress.

Mousinho is fully aware Saydee has that kind of ability in his locker, with Pompey fans lapping up similar forceful moments this term.

Now the Blues boss wants to see a consistency from the Bournemouth signing’s game, as he gets set to build on his latest showing in the top-of-the-tabe clash with Bolton next Monday.

Mousinho said: ‘Christian gives us everything, he gives us absolutely everything. It’s easy to forget he’s only 21.

‘He’s had a couple of stints on loan, obviously, but I don’t think he’s had the stints where the demand is on him as it is at the moment.

‘You’re playing for Portsmouth now and you need to be at it every single minute of every single day.

‘He provides us with something very, very different - he makes things happen.

‘There was that moment in the first half, where the only disappointment was he didn’t take the chance and shoot earlier, I suppose.

‘But he has that, he has quality as well and his work rate is right up there.’

Saydee has now firmly settled in a withdrawn attacking role, which few saw him operating in when he joined Mousinho’s men last summer.

The former Shrewsbury man has got 20 appearances under his belt, but his playing time has been managed with back-to-back starts in quick succession seen as a challenge.

Mousinho feels that’s an area to work on moving forward.

He added: ‘Sometimes we’re on him to keep his fitness up and get his work rate going.

‘But he’s in a position where he has to lock on to the midfielder, and it was three midfielders in Northampton’s case who are good players. So that side of the game is really positive from him, too.