John Mousinho fires Portsmouth fitness message ahead of south-coast derby showdown with Southampton

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho expressed confidence that his squad will be fully prepared for Championship demands ahead of their south-coast derby against Southampton on October 11. Pompey is utilizing a three-week league hiatus to build fitness, which includes a behind-closed-doors friendly against Premier League side Chelsea. The fixture at St Mary's Stadium will start a demanding run of five games in 13 days for the squad.

While Mousinho faces defensive setbacks with Conor Shaughnessy and Benjy Arthur sidelined, striker Marko Milovanovic is hoped to return from a calf injury. Keshi Anderson has returned from a quad issue, and players including Zak Swanson, Terry Devlin, Jayden Meghoma, and Tyrese Shade continue to work toward full match sharpness following controlled minutes and injury recoveries.