Our prediction for this League 1 match:
Portsmouth will be aiming to build on a thrilling 4-0 win over Doncaster when they take on Crewe at Alexandra Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Pompey have been producing splendid displays in the League One of late, and they are likely to adopt yet another attack-minded approach against Crewe. Joe Morell remains on the sidelines through suspension following his harsh red card against Oxford.
The Railwaymen, on the other hand, are running down a blind alley ahead of the visit of Portsmouth, and given their six-game losing run in the League One, away win should be considered. To make things even worse for the home side, defender Ryan Alebiosu limped off with injury after 21 minutes in a 2-0 loss to Wigan. In the first half of the season Portsmouth defeated Crewe 2-0 at Fratton Park.
Highlighted Player (Luke Murphy):
After spending his youth career at Crew Alexandra, Luke Murphy made his debut with the Railwaymen at senior level on December 13, 2008 in a 1-0 win over Swindon Town. Murphy scored his first goal with Crew Alexandra in a 4-1 away victory over Hartlepool United 15 days later.
After scoring 21 goals in 161 appearances for the club, the English footballer moved to Leeds United in June 2013, signing a three-year deal with the Elland Road outfit for a fee of around £1 million. Luke Murphy played for Burton Albion on loan as well before signing a two-year contract with Bolton Wanderers in August 2018.
Murphy made his debut for the Trotters on August 4, 2018 in a 2-1 win over WBA. The experienced midfielder was born in Macclesfield, England on October 21, 1989. His main position is central midfield, but he is capable of playing as both defensive and right midfielder as well.
Highlighted Team (Portsmouth):
During Milan Mandaric’s era at the club, Portsmouth played an important role in the Premier League, with the team finishing their debut season (2003/2004) in the 13th position in the standings. The club impressed in the 2008/2009 season, with Nwankwo Kanu’s goal helping them beat Cardiff City in the FA Cup final.
As a result, Portsmouth represented England in the Europa League, with the team progressing in the group stages of the competition thanks to a win over Vitoria Gimaraes in the final qualifying round. The current club was formed in 2013, but the original amateur club was founded back in 1883. Nowadays Portsmouth host their rivals at Fratton Park, with the venue holding up to 20,620 spectators.
The likes of Sol Campbell, David James, Glen Johnson and aforementioned Nigeria international Nwankwo Kanu are considered one of the club’s most notable players. Portsmouth wear blue shirts, white shorts and red socks when hosting their rivals at Fratton Park, while wearing white and blue colours when playing on the road.