Two League One heavyweights in Peterborough United and Portsmouth face each other in the EFL Trophy

Pompey will play their second game in three days with the intention of knocking league rivals Peterborough United out of the Papa John’s Trophy on Tuesday night.

Portsmouth will travel to Peterborough in the third round of the cup just over 48 hours after their 2-1 defeat to Bristol City in the FA Cup.

Kenny Jackett, Portsmouth manager, was brave in deploying his first-choice team, knowing full well he has an important cup encounter on Tuesday night. His side lack time to recover before travelling to the Weston Homes Stadium. It is expected of Portsmouth to utilise some of their academy prospects as well as their reserve players against the Posh.

Assistant manager Joe Gallen was certain that some unfamiliar faces may feature for his side:

 “With the lads who started the game on Sunday, it would be a bit foolish for them to play so quickly again on Tuesday.”

“There will be a lot of senior players playing and some younger players playing alongside them, with a lot of youngsters playing in the bench.”

Pompey have been high-flying in the EFL Trophy so far, sweeping Cheltenham aside by three goals to nil in their most recent affair in the competition.

The Blues are the current holders of the trophy after beating Sunderland in the 2019 final.

Additionally, they are yet to play last season’s postponed encounter against Salford City.

Peterborough United will look for revenge after their 2-0 league defeat to Pompey last month. However, they’re now undefeated in four since the defeat to Portsmouth early on in last December.

The Posh have lost just once in the EFL Trophy so far, losing on penalties to Cambridge United before hammering West Ham Under-21s 3-0.

Darren Ferguson’s men featured in a 1-1 draw on Saturday against Lincoln City in the league having been knocked out of the FA Cup to Chorley in the second round.

The manager confirmed that wide-man Joe Ward will feature for at least 45 minutes as the club’s physio department begin to integrate the 25-year-old back into full fitness. Ferguson is yet to determine whether he will play in the first half or second.

Talisman Jonson Clarke-Harris has been in inspiring form. He’s currently League One’s top goalscorer with 12 goals in 18 appearances. The Leicester-born man has hit the back of the net 73 times from 286 appearances at the time of writing, averaging a goal every four appearances: a decent record for a player that’s had spells at 11 different clubs.

If it’s a draw after 90 minutes, the match will be decided by penalties.

It’s inevitable that it’ll be an entertaining, highly contested match.

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