Pompey travel to Leyton Orient on Boxing Day looking for a win that could take them top of League Two at the halfway stage of the season.
Team News
Star players Dean Cox and Paul McCallum are out for the season but familiar faces in goalkeeper Alex Cisak, defender Cole Kpekawa and striker John Marquis could all feature against their former club.
Michael Doyle sustained a knee injury in last Saturday's win at Northampton and is rated doubtful for the forthcoming game. Gary Roberts has been declared fit but Paul Cook may not risk him from the start.
The Match
It has been stated how important the win over Northampton was last Saturday but that hard work will count for little if Portsmouth don't go to Brisbane Road and take all three points from stuttering Orient come Saturday.
The two words "Leyton Orient" may strike fear into many Pompey fans after that FA Cup embarrassment in 2002 but there should be no reason why the London side should be feared by Paul Cook's men given that the home side have drawn their last five league matches and can't seem to hold a lead.
The natives have become restless with last weekend's 1-1 draw with Yeovil played out during a "we're fucking bored" sing-a-long and they seem to have totally lost faith in manager Ian Hendon.
Given the fact that their stalwart Dean Cox and ex-Pompey loanee Paul McCallum are out for the season, this seems like the perfect time to be playing Orient.
However, it shouldn't be forgotten that Orient possess League Two's top striker in Jay Simpson and he has scored sixteen goals for the O's whilst the likes of Alex Cisak, Cole Kpekawa and John Marquis will all want to prove a point to their former employers.
If Doyle doesn't make it on Saturday then it could be a big day for Ben Close given how he has looked the part when he has been given his chance. Roberts shouldn't walk straight back into a winning side after such a long time out, either. Having him as an option coming off the bench would be extremely handy if Pompey are in need of some inspiration, however.
Pompey are likely going to have to win this game just to keep pace at the top of the table given that Northampton (at home to York) and Plymouth (at home to Yeovil) are unlikely to drop points. A Boxing Day victory would prove to most that Portsmouth are title winning material.
And at the halfway stage of the season, there's no reason why they couldn't push on and really click into gear for the rest of the campaign.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups
Orient
GK: Alex CISAK
RB: Sean CLOHESSY
CB: Mathieu BAUDRY
CB: Jean-Yves MVOTO
LB: Frazer SHAW
RM: Blair TURGOTT
CM: Lloyd JAMES
CM: Bradley PRITCHARD
LM: Jobi McANUFF
CF: Jay SIMPSON
CF: Ollie PALMER
Pompey
GK: Brian MURPHY
RB: Ben DAVIES
CB: Matt CLARKE
CB: Adam WEBSTER
LB: Enda STEVENS
DM: Michael DOYLE
DM: Danny HOLLANDS
RM: Gareth EVANS
AM: Marc McNULTY
LM: Kyle BENNETT
CF: Caolan LAVERY
Last Time: Leyton Orient 1 Portsmouth 0 (League One - 12/03/2013)
Shaun Batt seized upon a poor backpass from Dan Butler to slot the ball past Simon Eastwood and condemn Guy Whittingham's Pompey to yet another defeat in this miserable season.
My Prediction
There is a worry that Orient's quality players such as Baudry, McAnuff and Simpson will turn it on against opposition of Pompey's quality but Paul Cook has so much attacking talent at his disposal that another away win should be on the cards.
Leyton Orient 1 Portsmouth 2