Lincoln started the season with a narrow 2-1 loss at Middlesbrough
Portsmouth suffered the joint-heaviest defeat of the opening weekend, losing 3-1 at home to QPR
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While they ultimately left the Riverside with no points, Lincoln’s performance on Teesside was more than strong enough to suggest they may have been underrated by many parties following their promotion from League One.
The Imps are red-hot favourites for relegation from the Championship but a battling 2-1 defeat at Middlesbrough will give them a great platform to build upon, and that may begin with Saturday’s clash with Portsmouth.
Team news
Adam Jackson and Sonny Bradley remain sidelined for the hosts but they could hand a debut to new loan signing Yunus Konak.
Connor Ogilvie, Mark Kosznovszky, Josef Bursik, Franco Umeh-Chibueze, Keshi Anderson, Thomas Waddingham and Jacob Farrell make up a mammoth list of certain absentees for Portsmouth.
Harvey Blair and Marlon Pack are also doubts but Josh Murphy is fit again and pushing to start.
The latest Lincoln vs Portsmouth odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
The stats
Lincoln have won seven consecutive home games, scoring 21 goals.
The Imps lost just one of their 23 home matches in 2025-26, winning 18.
Portsmouth have managed just two wins in eight away games.
Six of Lincoln’s last eight matches have seen both teams find the net, while the same bet has landed in Portsmouth’s last five outings, too.
Lincoln’s 24 per cent possession against Middlesbrough was the lowest of any Championship team on the opening weekend.
The latest Lincoln vs Portsmouth odds are available on LiveScore Bet.
Prediction
Major regression was expected of Lincoln following the exit of manager Michael Skubala to Bristol City. However, the early signs are that their data-led approach makes the project bigger than any one person and a first Championship win is likely to arrive sooner rather than later.
The Imps have already shown they can mix it in the second tier, beating play-off candidates Derby 2-1 in the Carabao Cup first round, and confidence will be high after their Riverside outing.
Joint-managers Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw have kept the gritty-yet-attacking approach which saw Lincoln rack up 103 points in League One and that style should cause problems for Portsmouth.
John Mousinho’s visitors have looked porous at the back in 3-1 defeats to West Ham and QPR at the start of the campaign, while their seemingly never-ending injury crisis continues to be an issue.
Lincoln have performed admirably on the road this term and should only improve on home soil, where they lost just once in the league last season.
Pompey may be the more established Championship side, but momentum is with the Imps, and that should be enough for them to seal all three points.
Score prediction: Lincoln 2-1 Portsmouth
Back Lincoln to win at 27/20 with LiveScore Bet.
