Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has insisted Portsmouth will get results in the Championship after drawing with his aide at Fratton Park, as reported by The News.
Pompey has picked up four points from their opening seven games on their return to the Championship. John Mousinho’s men have yet to register a win but have picked up points against some of the division’s big guns in the shape of Leeds United, Luton Town and Middlesbrough.
Defeats have come against Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion and Burnley before today’s point.
Having navigated their way through a challenging opening period, Portsmouth will be looking ahead with encouragement to the next set of fixtures.
They head to Stoke City on Wednesday, with the Potters winless in four, before welcoming fellow promoter side Oxford United to Fratton Park next weekend before the international break takes hold.
Following today’s 0-0 draw with Chris Wilder’s men, the Blades’ boss praised the Fratton Park side. “If they keep playing like they’ve just played against us they will get results. Credit to their attitude.”
Pompey had to withstand some Blades pressure but enjoyed moments where they matched their promotion-chasing opponents. After losing Conor Shaughnessy in the warm-up, the home side recovered to threaten their visitors.
Marlon Pack forced United keeper Michael Cooper into a fine save from a free kick and Jacob Farrell could have snatched all three points in the dying moments.
Frustrations boiled over after the full-time whistle as a scuffle broke out between the two sides or were two divisions apart in May.
Writer’s View
Being in the bottom three is not where any fan wants their club to be but to have taken four points from an incredibly tough opening set of games can definitely be seen as a positive.
However, if Mousinho’s men don’t get results against Stoke or Oxford then the pressure will begin to grow on the players and management as they look to survive in the second tier.