Portsmouth V QPR preview thread
EFL Championship - match day 1
First game of the 26/27 Season! I'm looking forward to the season ahead, think we've made some great signings and hoping we can push on and end the season well clear of the relegation zone and assert ourselves as a mid-table championship side. I think today will be a tough one but think we'll win 2-1, an Abu masterclass incoming. Please post your score predictions below! Play up Pompey!
Stadium - Fratton Park
TEAM NEWS
Thomas Waddingham is set for a spell on the sidelines after injuring his ankle ligaments shortly after coming off the bench at West Ham.
Benjamin Arthur, Odin Bailey, Daniel Bielica, Luke Brooke-Smith, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, Eoin Kenny, Rocco Shein and Marko Milovanović will all be looking to make their Fratton Park debuts, while Abu Kamara could also feature following his return to the club.
But Keshi Anderson (quad), Harvey Blair (hip), Josef Bursik (quad), Márk Kosznovszky (knee), Josh Murphy (groin), Connor Ogilvie (knee), Marlon Pack (knee) and Franco Umeh (hamstring) are expected to miss out.
Karamoko Dembélé (knee), Tariq Lamptey (knee) and Justin Obikwu (shin) are all expected to be absent for the visitors.
John Mousinho said: “I’m looking forward to getting back to Fratton Park, where the atmosphere is always very special, especially for that first home game.
“Our fans know the challenge we always face in the Championship and I’m sure there will be huge amounts of both realism and positivity.
“QPR have really developed in terms of the way they play, although a lot of their personnel at the weekend will be what we saw last season.”
MINUTE'S APPLAUSE
A minute's applause will be held before kick-off to remember former Pompey boss Kenny Jackett, along with ex-players Bill Albury and Peter Higham, who have all sadly passed away since the end of last season.
HEAD TO HEAD
Overall
Pompey: 13 wins
QPR: 16 wins
14 draws
At Fratton Park
Pompey: 8 wins
QPR: 5 wins
8 draws
Last Home Meeting
Pompey 1 (Devlin)
QPR 1 (Dunne)
Championship
December 26 2025
OFFICIALS
Referee: Will Finnie
Assistants: Nigel Lugg and Michael Webb
Fourth Official: Craig Hicks
Finnie last took charge of Pompey when they won 2-0 at Oxford in a Championship contest in February 2025, booking two Blues players and no members of the home side. He was in the middle for 32 games last season, brandishing 132 yellow cards and just one red