‘No panic’: John Mousinho focusses concern away from table as Portsmouth fall into Championship bottom three against Bristol City

The Blues insisted there was ‘no panic’ after his side’s 1-0 home defeat to Bristol City, which saw them slip into the relegation places for the first time this season.

Pompey were awful for much of the opening half, as the Robins dominated before the home side found their feet towards the interval.

Mousinho’s men pushed after the break without overly extending the visitors, who produced a textbook away display to snare the three points.

There was boos from the Fratton Park crowd at the interveral and on the full-time whistle, as they aired understandable frustration at the events on the pitch.

There will be angst at Pompey falling into the bottom three tonight, but Mousinho is staying calm in the face of that disappointment.

Mousinho feels what unfolded on the pitch is greater problem that needs addressing.

He said: ‘The league position is something we’re concerned with, but the bigger issue is the way we played in that first 25 minutes at home.

‘We were really poor and couldn’t get to grips with the game.

‘There’s the tactical side of the game, the movement and the way they were playing, but ultimately the bigger disappointment was we couldn’t get to grips with winning challenges, headers and winning second balls against Bristol City.

‘For that period and when they got the goal they were just miles better than us.

‘They were miles better than us, but then when we decided we want to have a go we were better - and that’s just not acceptable from us. It’s not really acceptable we’ve shown two sides of that performance.

The game probably looked the same for me as everyone else at the stadium. It was far too easy for Bristol City to do what they did.

‘We tried to make that intervention, but it clearly wasn’t enough of an intervention.

‘There’s plenty of time in the season, there’s no panic and there’s plenty of games to come between now and Christmas.

‘The league is what it is now, the more important thing is what the league is at the back end of the season. The bigger concern for me is that 25-minute spell.’