'What we need is' - Portsmouth boss reveals two priorities he's banking on for Sheffield United visit to Fratton Park

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John Mousinho is hoping Fratton Park will be at its intimidating best for the visit of Sheffield United today.

And he’s called on both the players and fans to make that happen as the Blues look to secure their first win of the Championship season.

So far, three of the Blues’ six league fixtures have been on home soil, giving the Fratton faithful a real taste of how Championship football has evolved since their last participation in the second tier 12 years ago.

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But it’s hardly been a happy homecoming for the PO4 fan base, with Pompey picking up just one point from games against Luton, Sunderland and West Brom. They’ve also conceded seven goals in that period, while there’s been just one Blues goal to celebrate, too.

In truth, it’s not been the fortress Fratton that has served Pompey so well in recent seasons. Indeed, you have to go back to the 2017-18 campaign - the Blues’ first season back in League One under Kenny Jackett - to see an inferior run of home results. That year, the Fratton faithful endured six home games without a victory!

However, Mousinho is desperate to change that and return to the norm. He wants Championship rivals to be nervous about their trips to PO4 and not see it as a place to blossom. And he’s asked both his players and the fans to help deliver that key objective.

In a social media post uploaded by the club, the Pompey head coach said: ‘What we need is a combination of that support this weekend and also make it a difficult place to play.

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‘I think that we’ve been really, really well backed in the last couple of games and I think that the next level for Fratton Park is to - and we have to provide that on the pitch, we’ve got to provide it on the pitch - we’ve also got to make it an intimidating place to come as well, so not feel too sorry for ourselves when things don’t go our way and really make it difficult for Sheffield United for the full 90 minutes.

‘I’m just hoping that the fans will be able to replicate that as well because the support we’ve had this season has been amazing.’

Once again, Fratton Park is sold out today, with the Blades also selling their full allocation of tickets.

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