This what Kenny Jackett believes Portsmouth need to do to get promoted

The Blues boss believes delivering that average return between now and the end of the season will earn his side a place in the Championship.

It means a gargantuan effort is going to be required by Jackett’s men to deliver glory this term, with his side needing to extend the excellent form they’ve been on since October for the duration of the campaign.

Pompey go to Tranmere on Saturday looking to set a new club record of nine wins on the bounce.

That run is a continuation of excellent league progress which has seen 34 points harvested out of a possible 48 since the win over Lincoln on October 22 - an average of 2.125 points per game.

Such form has been required to pull Jackett’s men into the promotion picture after a poor opening to the campaign.

But he feels the three sides who go up will set a similar pace through the League One run-in - making it clear what Pompey need to do to be celebrating in May.

Jackett said: ‘For the three teams (who go up), three will do that (get two points a game on average).

‘You do almost need two points a game. Out of those (in contention) there will be enough who do.

‘It doesn’t seem it (will be as high as last season).

‘The big teams do put the runs in at the end, the sides who do it will.

‘Look at Wigan, Blackburn and Barnsley, Luton and Charlton last year.

‘The sides who do will have a final 20 games will do it with a high total from those games.

‘It will be great and there is the opportunity. We have to see that.

‘It’s competitive and there’s a lot of sides who can do it - two points a game.’

Jackett has been consistent in his view the League One title race is wide open for a sizeable number of teams this season.

With just nine points covering the top nine places that’s more apparent than ever with a lot of football still to be played.

Jackett’s view was Pompey could be one of those teams even when few agreed with him, so he’s certainly not changing his stance now.

He added: ‘Even looking now it’s still open for a lot of teams.

‘You read things and get a view of a club and it’s very much on performances.

‘It’s alright saying it’s open but you have to be good enough to take that chance and people are assessing that.

‘But if you look at it factually and look at it for points total, the total is still very close.

‘That’s particularly with so many to play for. You’re talking about on average most clubs have 51 or 48 to play for, maybe 45. It’s a lot of points. Of course it can happen.’