Sunderland have been assessed by Portsmouth boss John Mousinho ahead of today’s clash.
The Black Cats will face off against Portsmouth today at the Stadium of Light, where a win would see Sunderland cement their 4th place position in the Championship table and move them nine points ahead of Middlesbrough, as well as just three points away from table-toppers Leeds United.
Sunderland will feel confident to notch yet another home win against a Portsmouth side currently sat 21st in the Championship, and a victory will very much be on the cards if the attacking duo of Eliezer Mayenda and Wilson Isidor can replicate their brilliance from the Sheffield United win.
The win against the Blades truly embodied the quality that Sunderland have shown this season, and Pompey boss John Mousinho has not shied away from paying Regis Le Bris’ side credit, however, he has pointed out one area that he could exploit.
John Mousinho suggests Sunderland ‘pressure’ will favour Portsmouth
Going into the clash with Pompey, Sunderland’s unbeaten streak at the Stadium of Light remains intact under Le Bris, and confidence will be high that it will continue past the upcoming clash.
However, Portsmouth boss Mousinho highlighted one thing that could hinder Sunderland in the clash, and in turn could favour his side.
In his pre-match press conference, Mousinho said: “We’ve played Sunderland once already this season. I think they were very comfortable winners at Fratton Park and will hopefully see a very different side to us by the time we go and play them on Sunday, because I think we’ve got a very different outlook in terms of the squad, in terms of players, in terms of the way that we’re playing as well.
“And to be honest, we’re always going into games with pressure on our shoulders because we want to win every game, but the pressure is going to be on Sunderland to go and win the game at home. They’ve got a really, really good record.
“We can go and play with a bit of freedom, I think, and the shackles should be off when we go and play these top sides in the division. I think that doesn’t mean we’re going to play with this laissez-faire attitude, but certainly we can maybe relax a bit more into the game, I think, which might help us.
“They’ve been one of the best sides in the league all year. Really, really impressive.”
Sunderland’s previous clash with Portsmouth saw Le Bris’ side record a brilliant away win at Fratton Park, with goals from Alan Browne and Romaine Mundle, alongside an own goal, helping them towards a 3-1 win.
Black Cats home form should swing win in their favour
There are many aspects as to why Sunderland currently find themselves in the higher echelons of the Championship table, from Le Bris’ man-management, to the individual qualities dotted around the side.
However, one aspect that occasionally goes unnoticed is the unwavering support that Sunderland are met with at every clash at the Stadium of Light, something that has undoubtedly played its part in the brilliant home form that has been sustained since Le Bris took over at the club.
As a result, any home clash is massively swung in Sunderland’s favour, and that paired with the Black Cats hoping to continue their momentum from their win against Sheffield United should help them put the game out of sight against Portsmouth.