Portsmouth host Millwall at Fratton Park on 24 October 2026, kick off at 12:30 BST. Both clubs arrive level on 15 points from 11 matches, separated only by goal difference in 12th and 13th and neither has done enough to pull clear of the mid table cluster. A win here gives one of them some daylight, a draw keeps both exactly where they are, which at this stage of the season is more frustrating than comfortable. Mousinho and Neil have no previous head to head record as managers in this fixture, so there is no tactical history to lean on from either dugout.
Portsmouth head into this with some momentum behind them. Wins over Norwich (1-0 on 17 October) and Sheffield United (3-2 on 14 October) followed by a 1-1 draw with Wolves on the 20th add up to seven points from three games. Millwall's run has been patchier: their last five matches have yielded two points from four games where a win was available and they have managed just two wins in nine league outings since an encouraging start to the season, the most recent of those a 2-2 draw with Lincoln City on 17 October.
Mousinho, in charge since replacing Danny Cowley in January 2023, is missing two important players at once: Mark Kosznovszky is sidelined with a knee injury until around 1 November and Joe Morrell is out following knee surgery. Losing a creative midfielder and a defensive anchor together forces a reshuffle and puts pressure on players who were not expected to carry that load this early in the season. Neil, who took over from Neil Harris in December 2024, has his own concerns, with Tristan Crama doubtful through an ankle issue and Josh Coburn still unavailable, their combined absence limits Millwall's options going forward and leaves the back line a little short of cover.
Both sides set up in a 4-2-3-1, pointing toward something structured and attritional rather than open. Portsmouth's version emphasises organisation and quick transitions, with Kosznovszky and Morrell out, Abu Kamara becomes the main creative outlet in midfield and Adrian Segecic the main source of movement higher up, while Marko Milovanovic, the club's top scorer in the league this season on three goals, leads the attack. Regan Poole will need to organise the back line without his usual midfield shield in front of him. Millwall's shape is built around physicality and dead balls, with Lyndon Dykes leading the line, Jake Cooper anchoring the defensive line and organising from set pieces behind him and Zak Sturge settled at left back since signing his new contract. Without Coburn, Neil may go more direct and accept that some of the cleverer pressing patterns are off the table.
The battles worth watching are Kamara against Millwall's double pivot, Dykes against Poole and his centre back partner and the physical contest in the middle of the park that will probably determine who gets on the front foot first. Portsmouth won both Championship meetings in 2025-26 by 3-1, though Millwall had taken four of the six fixtures before that, making this a rivalry that swings sharply between the two sides depending on the season.
Millwall's set piece numbers are worth taking seriously: 6.8 expected goals from dead balls, six already scored and the best figures in the Championship. In a game where open play could be cagey, that is a route to goal. Portsmouth will have noted that Millwall have conceded 18 goals in 11 matches, more than you would expect from a side that prides itself on defensive solidity. Seven points from three games while missing two of their more important players is not nothing but whether that holds up in a 12:30 kick off without Morrell screening is another question entirely.
A 2-2 draw. Portsmouth's home form and Milovanovic's scoring threat should give them the lead but Millwall's dead ball delivery and Dykes' presence make them dangerous enough to respond. Expect Portsmouth to press high early, Millwall to drop deep and look for Cooper's long throws and corners and Kamara to drift into half spaces as the game opens up. If Millwall level through a set piece things will probably spread further, turning into a race between Milovanovic and Dykes to land the decisive blow. Late changes will matter: Mousinho will likely chase intensity with fresh legs while Neil may gamble on an extra attacker and with the personnel gaps and the tactical balance roughly even, shared points looks the likeliest outcome.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
