Portsmouth vs Sunderland

Portsmouth have lost just one of their last nine home league games against Sunderland (W6 D2), a 2-0 loss in March 2021 in League One.

This is the first second tier meeting between Portsmouth and Sunderland since 1998-99, with the Black Cats remaining unbeaten against Pompey (W1 D1) during that season which ended in promotion to the Premier League.

Portsmouth are without a win in two league games at Fratton Park (D1 L1) with Pompey last enduring a longer such run in January 2023 under Danny Cowley (8 games – D6 L2).

Sunderland have won all three of their league games this season without conceding, the first Championship side to do so since Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City in 2017-18, who would eventually win promotion to the Premier League. 

Sunderland have averaged the youngest starting XI in the Championship this season (23y 63d) with the Black Cats one of just two teams along with Luton, to name three teenagers in their starting line-ups so far this season (Chris Rigg – 17, Jobe Bellingham – 18, Eliezer Mayenda – 19).