Portsmouth v Rotherham preview: League One clash live on Sky Sports Football
Sunday 3 September 2017 16:10, UK
Portsmouth will be hoping to hand debuts to two transfer deadline day signings when Rotherham visit Fratton Park on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Football from 2.15pm.
Kenny Jackett recruited striker Oliver Hawkins from Dagenham and completed the loan signing of Cardiff midfielder Stuart O'Keefe in the final hours of the window.
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Gareth Evans will be banned for the game having been sent off late on in the 1-1 draw at Wigan. Matt Clarke, Nathan Thompson, Tareiq Holmes-Dennis and Drew Talbot all missed that draw through injury with none likely to be fit to return this time out.
Rotherham will be without summer signing Jamie Proctor, who requires surgery on a season-ending knee injury. Striker Proctor sustained a cruciate ligament injury in Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Charlton and boss Paul Warne was hoping to get a replacement in before the transfer window closes.
David Ball is back again after missing out last week with a hamstring injury, but there are doubts over Will Vaulks (hamstring) and Lee Frecklington (virus). New goalkeeper signing Marek Rodak, who joined this week on a season-long loan from Fulham, will not be available as he is on international duty with Slovakia Under-21s.
Opta stats
Pompey haven't lost to the Millers at Fratton Park since March 1963, winning seven and drawing four in all competitions since then.
This is the first league meeting between the teams since April 2003, which Portsmouth won 3-2 to clinch the second tier title.
Portsmouth haven't won any of their last eight Sunday matches at Fratton Park in all competitions (D5 L3) since a 3-2 win over Blackburn in the Premier League in November 2008 under Tony Adams.
Rotherham have conceded exactly two goals in three of their four league games this season, keeping a clean sheet in the other - a 5-0 win over Southend.
Rotherham have failed to win any of their last 27 away league games (D3 L24) - their joint-longest winless run on the road alongside September 1977 to October 1978.
Prutton's prediction
Rotherham just haven't settled yet in League One and this will be another tough game on Sunday. Three defeats from their first four games is a really poor return.
No one expected Portsmouth to storm it straight away following promotion, but they've made a decent fist of it under Kenny Jackett and they should be too strong at Fratton Park.
Prutton predicts: 2-1 with Brett Pitman to score first (22/1 with Sky Bet)
