Win your battles - it's what Pompey fans will be demanding of those selected to face Bristol City this weekend - and it's what John Mousinho will be telling each man in blue too.

Pompey blew a chance to build on a fine win over Millwall when they slipped to a disspiriting 3-0 defeat at Sheffield United on Wednesday night.

A repeat of last weekend's front-foot display - which resulted in a 3-1 win - is required against the Robins, who are in a group of clubs looking to make a strong play-off push as we near the end of the first half of the season.

Mousinho told the club media the message to his players was clear: 'We can change as many things as we want, but if a player loses an individual battle, there’s nothing much the coaching staff can do. The message has to sink in to them that there needs to be a proper desire to keep the ball out of the net and will continue working hard to make sure it happens.

'Our next opponents are similar to us in that they had a positive result last weekend and weren’t able to follow that up. Bristol City perhaps over-achieved in getting to the play-offs last season – we blew them away at home and it was the opposite at their place.

'A new manager has now come in and added really well in key areas, so but they are a very dangerous side.'

Callum Lang is pushing for a start but Terry Devlin is banned following his Bramall Lane red card for handball on the line.

Mousinho said: 'Every minute that Langy didn’t play (in midweek) increased what he can do on Saturday, so we made the decision at a certain point not to bring him on.'

Photo: Action Images

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