Portsmouth and Watford each have eight points
The duo have combined for just 12 Championship goals in 2025-26
Recommended bet: Draw
Portsmouth took seven points from their first four matches but have stalled since the September international break, picking up just one point from a possible nine, most recently losing 2-1 at Ipswich on Saturday.
They host Watford on Wednesday, a side that head to Hampshire after beating Hull 2-1 on Saturday to stem their four-game winless run.
The duo start the eighth round of fixtures tied on eight points and there might be little to choose between them when they meet at Fratton Park.
The latest Portsmouth vs Watford odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Team news
Portsmouth are able to recall Conor Chaplin after he was ineligible against his parent club on Saturday.
However, Josh Murphy, who has missed the last two games with an ankle injury, may not be ready to return.
Nicolas Schmid, Conor Shaughnessy, Callum Lang, Franco Umeh and Thomas Waddingham are also sidelined.
Jack Grieves and Giorgi Chakvetadze are absent for Watford, while Pierre Dwomoh is doubt.
Goalkeeper Egil Selvik missed Saturday's win over Hull due to concussion protocols and Nathan Baxter may retain the gloves.
The stats
The side playing at home has won the last eight matches between Portsmouth and Watford.
Portsmouth have lost two of their three home games this season.
Watford have lost seven of their last eight away in the league – all of those defeats have been by single-goal margins.
The latest Portsmouth vs Watford odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Prediction
With eight points each, Pompey and the Hornets look set for a season of scrambling in the bottom half although on paper, both should have enough quality to survive in the Championship.
The home team winning the last eight head-to-heads is a curious statistic, but other than adding pre-match intrigue, has little bearing on the likely reality of this game.
Portsmouth's excellent home record under John Mousinho kept them going in spells last season but they have managed only one Fratton Park victory in four in all competitions.
There is also little positive to glean from the Hornets' away figures, having taken only a single point from nine available in the Championship.
Saturday's win over Hull will have encouraged Paulo Pezzolano, but his Watford players still seem to be adapting to his safety-first style of play.
Having managed only 12 goals between them from a combined 14 Championship games, these two might have to grind it out.
Back the draw at 43/20 with LiveScore Bet
The latest Portsmouth vs Watford odds are available on LiveScore Bet
