Mansfield V Portsmouth at One Call Stadium - Match Preview




As you were for Cox

Mansfield manager Paul Cox expects to have an unchanged squad for the visit of Portsmouth.


Ian Deakin and Keiran Murtagh remain the only injury absentees for the Stags. Goalkeeper Deakin suffered a dislocated shoulder during the warm-up against Exeter a fortnight ago and could be out for around another month. Midfielder Murtagh is thought to be three weeks away from fitness as he recovers from a knee problem.


Striker Oliver Palmer will hope his goal from the bench to give Mansfield a 1-0 win at Wycombe will earn him a recall.


The Stags are looking for their first home goal in the Football League since Michael Boulding scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Shewsbury in April 2008.


Portsmouth skipper Johnny Ertl returns to the squad.


The Austrian midfielder has had to sit out Pompey's last three matches through suspension after he was sent off on the opening day of the season.


Ertl is in line to go straight back into the starting line-up as Simon Ferry is struggling with a toe injury suffered against Morecambe last weekend.


Boss Guy Whittingham will otherwise stick with the team which swept the Shrimps aside 3-0 to record Pompey's first win of the campaign.


Source: PA

Source: PA