Portsmouth vs West Bromwich Albion

12th September

Unbeaten West Bromwich Albion return to Sky Bet Championship action with a trip to last season's Sky Bet League One champions Portsmouth on Sunday afternoon (ko 3pm).

The Baggies head down to Fratton Park sat on 10 points from their opening four matches, picking up victories against QPR, Stoke City and Swansea City and a draw at home to Leeds United.

Hosts Pompey are back in the second tier for the first time since the 2011/12 campaign and are awaiting their first triumph this term. They've drawn three and lost one of their four encounters.

It's been over 15 years since the two sides went head-to-head, with the Albion and Portsmouth last playing each other in April 2009 in the Premier League.

A general view of Portsmouth's Fratton Park — Fratton Park - built in 1899 - will host Sunday's fixture

Follow the action LIVE

Supporters can listen to live audio commentary of Albion's encounter with Portsmouth on Sunday.

Audio passes are available to purchase here.

Gez Mulholland and former Baggie Andy Johnson will provide live commentary, with coverage starting at 2.50pm.

Details for video streaming on WBA TV will be available here from Friday afternoon onwards.

Supporters are kindly asked to direct any questions or complaints about WBA TV or WBA Radio to wbatvsupport@streamamg.com.

The club are unable to answer queries about WBA TV or WBA Radio sent to fans@wbafc.co.uk or myalbion@wbafc.co.uk.

Regular updates will also be posted across the club's social media channels throughout the day.

The hosts

Portsmouth returned to the second tier of English football for the 2024/25 campaign after securing the Sky Bet League One title last term with a whopping 97 points.

Pompey, the 2008 FA Cup winners, have spent the last dozen years in the bottom two divisions of the professional pyramid and will be targeting survival this season.

Sunday's opponents have only suffered one defeat in their first four league matches, but they head into the clash with the Baggies still searching for their maiden triumph (D3, L1).

Portsmouth drew three in-a-row (Leeds, Luton & Middlesbrough) before losing 3-1 at home to Sunderland in their most recent encounter.

Former Brentford, Wycombe Wanderers, Stevenage, Burton Albion and Oxford United player John Mousinho in their manager, and has been since January 2023. He led the club to top spot in League One last season and has a record of 41 victories, 27 draws and just 13 defeats from his 81 fixtures in charge.

Portsmouth players in a pre-match huddle in front of their supporters — Portsmouth will be determined to secure a first Championship win this season on Sunday

One from the history books

The Baggies dramatically saved their Division One status with a 1-0 win at Fratton Park in May 1994.

Lee Ashcroft's brave header at the back post was enough to secure three points and keep the club in the second tier.

Supporters can watch the best of the action below.

The last five at Portsmouth

Portsmouth 2-2 Albion

April 2009, Premier League

Portsmouth 1-0 Albion

December 2005, Premiership

Portsmouth 3-2 Albion

December 2004, Premiership

Portsmouth 1-2 Albion

September 2001, Division One

Portsmouth 0-1 Albion

September 2000, Division One

Jonathan Greening celebrates scoring against Portsmouth at Fratton Park in April 2009 wearing the home kit — Jonathan Greening scored in Albion's 2-2 draw at Fratton Park in 2009

The stats

Albion will be facing Portsmouth for the first time in over 15 years on Sunday. The last meeting took place in April 2009 in the Premier League at Fratton Park, with the encounter ending in a 2-2 draw.

The Baggies' last win at Portsmouth was a 2-1 triumph in Division One in September 2001. Neil Clement and Scott Dobie turned the game around for Gary Megson's men after Robert Prosinecki's early penalty for Pompey.

Albion have scored exactly two goals in three of their last four visits to Fratton Park.

Winger Jed Wallace made 121 appearances for Portsmouth between 2012 and 2015. The Baggies captain scored 30 times for Pompey. Sunday's match will be Wallace's first at Fratton Park for any team since departing almost ten years ago.

Jed Wallace celebrates scoring a goal for Portsmouth in 2012 — Jed Wallace will return to his former club this weekend

The ticket details

Tickets for Sunday's showdown on the south coast have sold out.

The Baggies will be backed by 2,171 fans at Fratton Park.

Thank you for your terrific support!

Coach travel

Coach travel is available for £32, departing Kidderminster at 8.45am, Stourbridge & Lye at 9am, and The Hawthorns at 9.45am.

Supporters can secure their seat online, in person from the East Stand Ticket Office, or by calling 0121 227 2227.

A general view of Albion fans cheering at The Hawthorns

Albion colours

The Baggies will wear their yellow and navy blue away kit at Fratton Park.

Albion last donned those particular colours up at Stoke City towards the end of August.

You can order it here.

Josh Maja celebrates scoring at Stoke while wearing the yellow away kit — The Baggies will wear yellow and navy blue at Portsmouth

Travel Information

Supporters are advised by South Western Railway that rail replacement buses will operate from Fareham and Havant to Portsmouth Harbour, due to engineering work.

Between 11am and 7pm, these buses will not call at Fratton due to restrictions on local roads. Customers are advised to travel to Portsmouth & Southsea and to allow extra time to complete their journeys.

Those with accessibility requirements are advised to travel to Portsmouth & Southsea and speak to a member of staff who will be available to assist.

South Western Railway apologise for any disruption this may cause.

15th September

Albion earned a brilliant 3-0 win against Portsmouth in an entertaining encounter on Sunday afternoon.

A Josh Maja first-half strike and an Alex Mowatt brace gave them all three points, extending the Baggies’ unbeaten start to the Sky Bet Championship season.

They are next in action again this Saturday, hosting Plymouth Argyle at The Hawthorns.

An image of Albion players celebaring Josh Maja's goal against Portsmouth

Following a two-week break, the head coach named an unchanged XI for the fifth consecutive league match, though did bring deadline day signings Mason Holgate and Mikey Johnston onto the bench.

And his team got off to a flying start - netting 53 seconds in when Tom Fellows cut a perfect pass back to Maja, who finished emphatically in front of the 2,159 travelling Baggies fans.

An image of Josh Maja scoring against Portsmouth

Fellows then nearly turned scorer, side-footing just wide, before Pompey had a good spell, wasting a few openings after dispossessing the visitors high up.

Albion were still causing problems, especially on the counter-attack, and went close through Karlan Grant’s powerful effort - which was tipped over - as well as Maja’s blocked shot.

The Baggies’ best chance to double their lead came 10 minutes before the break, Maja nodding a Fellows cross towards goal only to see goalkeeper Will Norris somehow claw it off the line.

Grant headed one over, too, as did Portsmouth’s Connor Ogilvie, yet neither team managed to score and Corberán’s men took a narrow lead into half-time.

An image of Josh Maja's header being saved against Portsmouth

But within six minutes of the restart Albion got a second. Slick play in the middle eventually enabled Mowatt to pick the ball up outside the box and curl a magnificent strike home, grabbing his first goal since May.

An image of Alex Mowatt celebrating with his teammates after scoring against Portsmouth

In the main the game was much quieter during the second period, apart from a rapturous ovation from the travelling supporters as Johnston made his (second) debut towards the end.

There was still time for Mowatt to nab a second in added time via a pinpoint free-kick to cap a super showing on the south coast.

The result, combined with others across the Championship this weekend, means Albion sit top of the table at this very early stage of the season.

Albion: Palmer; Furlong, Bartley, Ajayi, Heggem; Molumby (Racic 67), Mowatt; Fellows (Walalce 67), Swift (Diangana 67), Grant (Johnston 80); Maja (Dobbin 80).

Substitutes: Wildsmith, Holgate, Frabotta, Diakite.

Sunday 15th September 2024 - 15:00