Wages being paid late, a player exodus, transfer embargoes and unrest in the stands – it is a tale that Pompey fans are all too familiar with. But it is Saturday’s visitors to Fratton Park (3pm kick-off), Sheffield Wednesday, who are currently beset by off-field issues that show no sign of abating. It has, unsurprisingly, had an impact on the pitch, with just a single point collected from the opening five Championship fixtures. That came at big-spending Wrexham last month, with Barry Bannan and Bailey Cadamarteri scoring to complete a fine fightback from two goals down. Henrik Pedersen's side head to the south coast on the back of a 3-0 defeat to Bristol City on home soil last weekend. And the Owls are only currently being kept off the foot of the early second tier standings by their city rivals Sheffield United. There had been some respite in the Carabao Cup, with young sides seeing off Bolton and top-flight Leeds on penalties before the run came to an end against Grimsby on Tuesday night. Pompey lost 2-1 in a televised Friday night contest when this fixture was played last season and have not beaten the South Yorkshire outfit since 2002. They did, however, claim a point at Hillsborough in the final away match of the 2024/25 campaign, courtesy of Harvey Blair's first goal for the club. TEAM NEWS Pompey will be without Harvey Blair (hamstring), Callum Lang (hamstring), Nicolas Schmid (hand) and Thomas Waddingham (quad), while Connor Ogilvie (neck) is a doubt. Ben Killip is expected to deputise between the sticks, while Conor Chaplin could make a first Fratton appearance in a Blues shirt for more than seven years. The visitors are missing former Fratton loanee Di'Shon Bernard (knee), but Jamal Lowe could feature against the side he won the League Two title with in 2017. Also absent for Sheffield Wednesday are Nathaniel Chalobah (hamstring), Pierce Charles (shoulder), Bruno Fernandes (leg), Reece Johnson (foot), Olaf Kobacki (groin) and Guy Siqueira (Achilles). VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM Read the thoughts of John Mousinho and Adrian Segečić ahead of the big game. HEAD TO HEAD OverallPompey: 27 wins Sheffield Wednesday: 29 wins 17 draws At Fratton Park Pompey: 18 wins Sheffield Wednesday: 11 wins 7 draws Last Home Meeting Pompey 1 (Ogilvie) Sheffield Wednesday 2 (Windass, Smith) Championship October 25 2024 TICKETS Tickets have sold out, but the ticket exchange remains open until two hours before kick-off, so keep checking to see if any seats become available. Click here to read our matchday guide and find out what is happening around the ground ahead of the game. OFFICIALS Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo Assistants: Emily Carney and Robert Hyde Fourth Official: Farai Hallam Ricardo last took charge of Pompey when they drew 2-2 with Derby on home soil back in April, booking five Blues players and four for the visitors. He has been in the middle for four games so far this season, showing 14 yellow cards, but keeping the red one in his pocket. MATCH COVERAGE Overseas fans can watch all the action live on Pompey+, either through a monthly/annual subscription or by purchasing a match pass. George Wedlake will be joined in the Fratton Park studio by Paul Hardyman and Mark Kelly. Fans can get involved by sending messages and voicenotes to our Pompey+ WhatsApp channel* on +44 7457 413694 or via this link. Please note that the half-time and post-match shows are only available to watch for fans in regions where the game is being shown live on Pompey+. Audio commentary from Andrew Moon and Guy Whittingham is available for Pompey+ subscribers or those who purchase an audio subscription/match pass. Click here for more details about using Pompey+, including the answers to some frequently asked questions. Locally-based fans who are not going to the game can listen, as always, via BBC Radio Solent or Express FM (not available online). *Please note that the WhatsApp service is only for sending messages to appear on the matchday show. The club will not be able to reply to any messages.
