Bolton vs Portsmouth Prediction

Current league form

Portsmouth have been the steadier of the two lately. Across their last six Championship games they've taken two wins and three draws, with a win at Norwich among the highlights and only one defeat, away at Southampton.

Bolton: 20 completed matches; Portsmouth: 20 completed matches.

Bolton

20 matches

Win

40% 8 / 20

Draw

20% 4 / 20

Loss

40% 8 / 20

Scored

27

Conceded

29

Difference

-2

Portsmouth

20 matches

Win

30% 6 / 20

Draw

35% 7 / 20

Loss

35% 7 / 20

Scored

23

Conceded

27

Difference

-4

Bolton's form has been more stop-start. They've won three of their last six league matches but lost two others, including a home defeat to Stoke City. Their home results in particular have bounced between comfortable wins and losses.

Portsmouth look the more consistent side on recent evidence, though neither team has put together a long run of good results.

Comparative Team Statistics: Bolton vs Portsmouth

Head-to-head history

These two have met plenty of times down the years, though almost all of it was in League One rather than the Championship. Portsmouth have the better recent record in that series, including a 2-0 and a 3-1 home win, but it's worth remembering that was a different division and a different era for both clubs.

League position

Both teams sit on 14 points, though Bolton have needed an extra game to get there. Portsmouth are 13th while Bolton are down in 15th, and Bolton's goal difference of minus three compares unfavourably with Portsmouth's level record.

Bolton's key men

Bolton's main goal threat lately has been T. Gale, who has scored three goals in his last eight appearances. J. Sheehan is one to watch for discipline, having picked up a yellow and a red card across that same spell. There's no equivalent breakdown available for Portsmouth's squad.

Bolton:

Best scorers:

T. Gale - 3

Penalty cards:

J. Sheehan x 1 x 1

How this one could play out

With both sides level on points and showing patchy form, this has the shape of a tight contest. Portsmouth's away form has been decent recently, while Bolton's home form has been unpredictable rather than simply poor, swinging between heavy wins and home defeats.