Pompey boss Danny Cowley described as outstanding the job Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had done at Burton Albion as he prepared to send his side out against the Brewers.

The Bues are looking for a fifth straight win but Burton have risen from the drop zone to 18th spot with 20 points from their past 10 games.

Cowley told the Pompey website: 'He’s done an outstanding job. There’s obviously a history with him at that club and it’s a relationship that definitely works. They weren’t just at the bottom of the table when he came in, they were adrift. But the run they’ve been on has been fabulous.

'He’s got them fighting hard and playing with a really direct style, so there will be plenty of balls into the box. They’ll ask questions of you defensively at every opportunity and what he’s done has been remarkable.'

Cowley says Pompey must forget what was a 'tired' display that earned a win at Wigan on Monday and approach the Burton clash with a new energy and focus.

He said: 'Tiredness is normally a state of mind and if a lion jumped out of a bush, you wouldn’t say you were leggy. You’d run away! The lads have had a couple of extra days than what they experienced between Rochdale and Wigan.

'There’s been lots of valuable work on the training pitch during the week, although one of our most important jobs is to manage the load of the players. Working with the sports science team, you want to make sure that they’re fresh enough to perform at their best.

'We’ve been able to regenerate, refocus and recharge — now we’re in a really good place to face a competitive Burton team.'

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