Preview: Portsmouth vs. Charlton Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

Portsmouth will be looking to return to winning ways in League One when they welcome Charlton Athletic to Fratton Park on Monday night.

Danny Cowley's side will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland last weekend, while Charlton recorded a 2-0 win over Fleetwood Town in their last league contest.

Match preview

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An impressive run of form in the latter stages of 2021 moved Portsmouth close to the playoff positions in League One, but Cowley's side are yet to win a league match in 2022, picking up just two points from the last 12 available, which has left them in 10th position in the table.

Pompey's last success in the league was a 2-0 victory at home to Morecambe on December 11; since then, they have drawn with Cambridge United and AFC Wimbledon, and lost to MK Dons and Sunderland.

Cowley's team have won 10, drawn eight and lost eight of their 26 league matches this season to occupy 10th spot, eight points behind sixth-placed Oxford United, although they could be further adrift by the time that this match kicks off on Monday night.

Portsmouth will be desperate to return to winning ways ahead of a trip to Oxford on February 5, and they have been relatively strong at home this term, picking up 21 points from 12 matches, while the former Premier League side have games in hand on a number of the teams around them.

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Charlton will be feeling confident ahead of Monday's match considering that they have won four and lost just one of their last six League One matches against Portsmouth, although the points were shared in a 2-2 draw when they locked horns for the reverse match back in September.

The Addicks have collected 33 points from their 27 league matches this season to sit 14th in the table, five points behind their opponents on Monday night, while they are 13 points off the top six.

Charlton lost on penalties to Hartlepool United in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night but have picked up four points from their last two league matches, including a 2-0 home success over Fleetwood last weekend.

Second-half goals from Mason Burstow and Albie Morgan helped Johnnie Jackson's side secure all three points in the capital, but they have found it difficult on their travels this term, picking up just 12 points from 13 matches.

Charlton finished seventh in League One last season, two points ahead of eighth-place Portsmouth, but they are currently some way from the playoff positions in the third tier of English football.

Team News

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Portsmouth are expected to hand a debut to Denver Hume following his arrival from Sunderland, while fit-again Ryan Tunnicliffe could be in line for a spot in the middle of midfield.

Having been knocked out of the EFL Trophy earlier this month, Pompey have not been in action since the 1-0 defeat to Sunderland, and there are not any fresh injuries within the squad.

As a result, there are not likely to be any surprises in the final third of the field, with Tyler Walker again being joined by Ronan Curtis and Marcus Harness.

As for Charlton, head coach Jackson rung the changes for the EFL Cup clash with Hartlepool during the week, but there will be a more familiar look to the side for this match.

Chuks Aneke, Corey Blackett-Taylor, Elliot Lee, Sean Clare and Ryan Inniss should all come back into the side, with the same XI that started against Fleetwood in the league last weekend potentially taking to the field.

Jake Forster-Caskey and Jayden Stockley remain absent for the visitors through injury, while Marcus Carver is a doubt for Jackson's team due to a groin complaint.

Portsmouth possible starting lineup:
Bazunu; Carter, Raggett, Robertson; Romeo, Morrell, Tunnicliffe, Hume; Harness; Walker, Curtis

Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:
MacGillivray; Clare, Inniss, Famewo; Jaiyesimi, Morgan, Dobson, Lee, Blackett-Taylor; Burstow, Aneke

We say: Portsmouth 1-1 Charlton Athletic

This has all of the makings of a very good game of football, and we are expecting an open contest on Monday night. Both sides will believe that they have the tools to cause problems in the final third, but we are struggling to separate them here, leading us to settle on a low-scoring draw.

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