This is the first of successive six-pointers that will go a long way to dictating the team’s status in the division. Pompey have been in good form and will pose threats that Rovers must navigate.
Despite coming off against Derby County, the expectation is Hayden Carter will be fit to continue in central defence. The back five will likely be unchanged despite conceding five in their last two matches.
Adam Forshaw will continue in midfield having impressed at Pride Park. The question is who partners him. Moussa Baradji has been the preferred starter but it wouldn’t be a major shock if he came out of the side.
Taylor Gardner-Hickman could earn an opportunity. He is the only central midfield option yet to start under O’Neill. He hasn’t begun a Championship game for Rovers since mid-January and that was at right-back. Ryoya Morishita completes the midfield trio and has been in decent form of late.
Up front, it’s another guessing game as to which pair get the nod. I think Mathias Jorgensen might replace Andri Gudjohnsen after his gilt-edged miss against Derby.
Predicted Rovers XI: Toth; Carter, McLoughlin, Cashin; Alebiosu, Gardner-Hickman, Forshaw, Morishita, Ribeiro; Ohashi, Jorgensen