The remarkable statistics behind Portsmouth's good-luck charm who basks in a winning habit

Michael Jacobs’ deflected last-gasp winner earned the Blues a dramatic triumph at Gillingham on Saturday.

It represented a fourth goal in 34 appearances during an injury-hampered time at Fratton Park following his September 2020 arrival.

Yet while Jacobs’ outings have been restricted, they have been overwhelmingly effective – particularly in League One.

Pompey have lost just four of the 27 league matches he has appeared in, basically just 14.81 per cent of his games.

Yet it’s the 30-year-old’s League One win ratio which really shines.

Staggeringly, Pompey have triumphed in 84.61 per cent of league matches which Jacobs has started during his one-and-a-half season stay.

Broken down, that’s 11 victories from the 13 occasions he has been named in the Blues’ line-up.

His full debut actually ended in a 2-1 loss against former club Wigan in September 2020.

Since then, the sole league game he hasn’t won when starting was a 2-2 draw to Plymouth at Fratton Park in February 2021.

Effectively that’s 12 successive League One fixtures unbeaten when granted a Blues’ starting XI spot.

Jacobs, of course, has also featured 14 times from the bench in the league, yet continues to offer a highly positive influence.

Just three of his 14 substitute entrances have resulted in defeats – none of which have been registered this season.

The last occasion Pompey lost a league game with Jacobs involved was March 2021 for the 2-0 home loss to Sunderland.

That would also prove to be Kenny Jackett’s final League One match in charge, with the manager dismissed following the subsequent EFL Trophy Wembley defeat to Salford.

Overall, Pompey have won 18 of Jacobs’ 27 league outings, mostly recently at Gillingham and Lincoln, losing four times.

He doesn't fare so well in the cups, however.

Of his seven appearances – spread over the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and EFL Trophy – there have been two wins and five defeats.

Although both of those victories have arrived during this current nine-match unbeaten run which Pompey are enjoying under Cowley.

The Blues face Harrogate Town in the FA Cup on Saturday, with Jacobs once again in the reckoning.

It remains to be seen whether the Blues’ good-luck charm is thrown in to secure a presence in the potentially money-spinning third-round draw.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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