Our League table has become a little tighter after Sunderland’s home victory against Crewe Alexandra, with only four points separating the top five. Phil and Malcolm picked up three points to pile the pressure on Jack who saw his lead cut to three going into the next round of predictions.
Will is desperate for points this time around as he’s in danger of losing touch with the rest. Martin also picked up an extra point for getting the benefit of the doubt with predicting Charlie Wyke to score the first goal, because who doesn’t deserve a point for predicting that along with a 4-0 win for a Phil Parkinson side?!
Will more of our panel go for Charlie this week?! Let’s find out in this round of predictions...
Philip Butler predicts...
Score Prediction: Sunderland 3 - 0 Portsmouth
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Chris Maguire
Sunderland are plodding along nicely, and their early season form is threatening to snowball into something very impressive.
Ever since Bailey Wright arrived at the club Sunderland’s defence has looked impenetrable and I’m backing today to be the week when our strikers find some form, lead by last season’s top scorer Chris Maguire.
Malcolm Dugdale predicts...
Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 0 Portsmouth
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke
Pompey have had a mixed bag of results so far, a bit like Crewe did previous to our last fixture. I’m going for another shut out and hopefully one more chance converted than last time out when the gap should have been way more than a single goal.
With Flanagan back and Willis/Sanderson in the running I’d expect the back three to move back towards more standard staffing.
Parky is a fan of “ain’t broke don’t fix it” so I expect minimal change to the line up other than in that area. We should see flexi-Luke back in his usual wing-back position on the right, Denver terrorising their left, and the Grant/Max combination running the midfield like a well oiled machine. Chris Maguire loves beating Pompey too so let’s hope he continues this tradition, but I’m guessing Charlie will carry on with his goals tally first.
One more promotion contender’s scalp is up for the taking and hopefully the good start carries on this weekend.
Matthew Foster predicts...
Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 - 0 Portsmouth
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Chris Maguire
Sunderland are making it incredibly hard for me to predict on this season. On the face of it, we’re unbeaten in six, conceded only once (from the penalty spot) and have beaten some decent sides along the way.
But there is this negative voice in my mind that comes from years of us regularly “doing a Sunderland”, that makes me wary of being overly confident.
Next up is Portsmouth, for whom we have become more than familiar with since our relegation to League One, with a tedious “rivalry” developing since their ‘sorry Netflix’ jibe.
Whilst the calls for Parkinson’s head have quietened down following our unbeaten start, the calls for Kenny Jackett’s are reverberating around Portsmouth.
Even after their win over Gillingham on Tuesday, the pressure is still firmly on Jackett, and after failures in the play-off’s two years running, you can’t help but feel that if their inconsistencies persist he might not make it into the new year.
Their main man Marquis is also misfiring, so I’m ignoring the negative voices and backing a dogged 1-0 victory by virtue of a Maguire goal.
Jack Howe-Gingell predicts...
Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 1 Portsmouth
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Chris Maguire
I always feel like we’re never far away from a fixture with Portsmouth, and they’re usually well contested - I expect this one to be the same.
Portsmouth have been steady so far this season, if not underachieving in terms of their likely ambitions, as such only being four points behind us.
Losing Ellis Harrison for a few weeks will be a big blow, but they will still have threats with the likes of John Marquis and Marcus Harness, though Marquis has never impressed against us during our League One stint.
Portsmouth are meeting us this time at our most imperious, with one of the best records in the whole EFL so far this season. I’d expect us to carry on as per the course - keeping solid and relatively cautious, awaiting chances as they come our way.
We have to concede sometime, and it may not be this game, but I still fancy us to win it by an odd goal in three. They’ll try to get at us but will meet a brick wall, and we will take advantage of that frustration. Kenny Jackett is once again a man under pressure, and a steely Sunderland will the last thing they need.
I fancy us to take a two goal lead, with a consolation coming from Portsmouth in the dying embers when we have tired somewhat. Chris Maguire will always be a threat with dead balls, so I’ll give him the nod again.
Will Jones predicts...
Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 0 Portsmouth
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Chris Maguire
I’ve gone the last few games predicting we will be breached, only to be proven wrong time and time again, in the best possible way. Not sure I’ve ever been able to say that supporting this club.
On the face of it this is a huge game - no matter what, Pompey are a big team in this division and everyone believes they will be fighting us at the top come May.
It would be an understatement to say they’ve had an inconsistent start to the season and seemed to have taken all three points when they have been second best and losing when they’ve been on top in games. Unsure of what to make of them, I believe our solid base, and our full team returning, we should be brimming with confidence and know exactly what to do from first whistle to last.
The calls for ‘Jackett out’ won’t stop and every fan says the poor start and constant poor results is because of his style of play, we need to make the most of the lack of understanding and preparation. This should be music to Grant Leadbitter’s ears, a player who will be able to dictate play and really make Pompey work for the ball and unbalance them.
No matter what this is going to be a scrappy game and I fully believe that it won’t be as easy as the games we have played so far, that means we need everyone to push into next gear and this is a game someone like Maguire will do exactly that and bag the opener in a scrappy first half, leading us to victory.
Martin Wanless predicts...
Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 1 Portsmouth
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke
Our biggest test since we faced Peterborough at the Stadium of Light, and coming off the back of a good performance and result against Crewe we’ll be hoping to continue our good run.
Goals are at a premium for Sunderland at present, and I feel we’ll need to score more than one against a Portsmouth side who’ve had an indifferent start but still racked up away wins at Burton and Gillingham in their last two games.
I’m taking us to win a tight contest by the odd goal in three, with Charlie Wyke netting the opener.