Championship Preview: Burnley vs Portsmouth - Analysis and Insights

Usual promotion suspects Burnley look set for the Premier League once again next season thanks to some promising season opening form. This weekend, they host a struggling Portsmouth side who, despite causing problems for a number of more established Championship sides, find themselves second from bottom without a win so far.

A win for both sides would be massive. For Burnley, three points would be a signal of intent that they are pursuing those coveted top two spots, and for Portsmouth, it would give them the belief that they can hang with teams fresh from relegation from the Premier League.

🔝 How’s that table looking, @WBA fans?#EFL | #SkyBetChampionship pic.twitter.com/4zBDEelyLH
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) September 15, 2024

As the game draws closer, we take a closer look at both sides, investigating strategies, team news, key players and absences that could decide the final score.

Burnley vs Portsmouth Standings

Playing at Leeds Uniteds’ Elland Road last weekend, the Clarets gave a distinctly un-Burnley performance. Over the last two years under Vincent Kompany, fans became used to seeing total focus on retaining possession. Afterall, how can you win a match unless you have the ball?

However, new coach Scott Parker showed they have more than one trick up their sleeve. Burnley had just 29% of the possession, and 10 fewer shots, and yet they were so well organized that Luca Koleosho’s 18th minute strike was enough to earn three points against last seasons losing play-off finalists

98th minute and down to ten men.

Still thinking about this claim from Traff 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/4GRxKzng4g
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) September 15, 2024

In home games, the story becomes flipped. Against Blackburn, Burnley had 74% possession, higher XG and more shots, and will still be wondering how they only managed to draw. Being able to switch between two clearly different tactics says a lot about a side, and that kind of adaptability is what Burnley need if they are to once again return to the top flights.

Comfortably in fourth on 10 points, Burnley will be looking ahead to a run of very winnable games including the fixture against Portsmouth, and will have their sights set on the top of the table, where they could be sat by Christmas.

Portsmouth have had a more low key start to their Championship proceedings, having drawn three and lost two. However, this can partly be put down to an extremely difficult opening sequence of games, including Leeds, Luton Town, Sunderland and West Brom.

However, they are also yet to win in cup competitions as well, falling at the first hurdle of the Carabao cup to Millwall, leaving fans still yearning for their first victory.

In November, their fixtures become a little more forgiving, and Pompey will bookmark fixtures such as Plymouth away, and Oxford and Sheffield Wednesday at home as potential turning points in their season.

“I wouldn’t be too worried about them” 😰

“It’s genuinely one of the toughest starts any team has ever had in Championship history” 😫

Portsmouth are 2nd bottom with no win after 5 games!@RyanDilks1 & @JustinPeach27 discuss their start👇

🔗 https://t.co/3vX06CB4So #Pompey pic.twitter.com/Kfm0UU8M0T
— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) September 18, 2024

Sitting 23rd in the league with three points, the season is far from over, but Portsmouth will want to get that first win on the board sooner rather than later.

Burnley vs Portsmouth Recent Meetings

31/01/2012: Portsmouth 1-5 Burnley.
10/12/2011: Burnley 0-1 Portsmouth.
25/04/2011: Burnley 1-1 Portsmouth.
25/01/2011: Portsmouth 1-2 Burnley.
27/02/2010: Burnley 1-2 Portsmouth.

Burnley vs Portsmouth Team News

Burnley will only be missing Chelsea loanee Bashir Humphries after he received two yellow cards against Leeds. The rest of the squad is fully available, with the only injuries sustained this season being brief knocks for Maxime Esteve and Luca Koleosho.

Portsmouth also have a full complement of players, so expect to see the strongest lineups possible for both sides.

Burnley vs Portsmouth Predicted Lineups

Burnley (4-2-3-1): Trafford (GK), Worrall, Ampadu, Esteve, Pires, Laurent, Brownhill, Kolesho, Mejbri, Anthony, Flemming.
Portsmouth (4-2-3-1): Norris (GK), Swanson, Williams, McIntyre, Ogilvie, Pack, Dozzell, Ritchie, Lang, Murphy, Saydee.

Burnley vs Portsmouth Player to Watch

Center back Joe Worrall has been rock solid for Burnley since coming into the side in the draw to Blackburn. The tall Englishman was a constant thorn in the side of the Leeds attack, and was at the center of much of the defending the Clarets were forced into.

Blocks, tackles, interceptions, clearances, Worrall did it all, and when Burnley eventually won possession, he was a safe pair of hands to both pass out from the back or to run his team up the field.

Also able to play at right back, he could be a very effective cover for Bashir Humphries, albeit a less offensive option. However, Burnley will want to be sure their backline is watertight against a counter-attacking Pompey, and Worrall at right back could ensure the South-coast side don’t have a sniff.

🚨 Burnley’s announcement video of Joe Worrall. 🤣🤣

(🎥 @BurnleyOfficial) pic.twitter.com/7eP4us3fAG
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) August 22, 2024

The highest rated player left in the Burnley squad after both Vitinho and Dara O'Shea left during the summer, Worrall has settled brilliantly into the Championship after leaving boyhood club Nottingham Forest.

It is now simply about maintaining his form, and importantly, staying fit.