Forest Green Rovers v Portsmouth preview: What's been said, team news, predicted XIs, referee, form guide & key stats

Here’s all the stats and big-match details ahead of the game (3pm).

What’s been said

Ian Burchnall

‘It was a good exercise (4-1 Papa John’s Trophy win against Exeter in Tuesday night).

‘It’s a completely different game on Saturday, no doubt.

‘Portsmouth are a top team in this division, they’ll come really well supported and it will be a big challenge.

‘Now we have to put our eyes on that and prepare for that’.

Danny Cowley

‘For us, it’s always about trying to utilise (any disappointments, like Monday’s defeat to Charlton).

‘Whenever you have disappointments in life, you try to use it to respond well and we know that in sport, particularly professional football, this will happen.

‘And when it does, it shouldn’t define you, it’s not fatal.

‘It’s always the response and I think we have a great opportunity on Saturday to try to respond in a really positive way.’

Forest Green team news

Forward Matty Stevens and defender Udoka Godwin-Malife are the only members of the Forest Green Rovers squad currently in the treatment room.

Stevens, who scored 27 goals in 42 appearances last season as Rovers won promotion from League Two hasn’t featured this season after suffering an ACL injury at the end of last term.

Meanwhile, Godwin-Malife has been out since the start of August with a hamstring problem.

Striker Jamille Matt featured and scored in the midweek Papa John’s Trophy win against Exeter as he continued his comeback from injury – and could start against Danny Cowley’s side.

David Davis is also in contention for the hosts.

Predicted XI: Luke McGee, Jordan Moore-Taylor, Christian Marques, Baily Cargill, Corey O'Keefe, Harry Boyes, Ben Stevenson, Regan Hendry, Josh March, Myles Peart-Harris, Connor Wickham.

Pompey team news

Pompey are waiting on the results of scans before knowing the extent of Marlon Pack and Michael Jacobs’ respective injuries.

Both players suffered hamstring problems in the defeat to Charlton on Monday night.

And although Pack is not available for the trip to Forest Green following his red card at The Valley and subsequent one-match ban, there’s a worry that both he and Jacobs could be out for several games.

On a more positive note, Danny Cowley is hopeful Reeco Hackett will be fit to travel to The New Lawn after he suffered a knee injury at Charlton.

Meanwhile, right-back Joe Rafferty (stomach muscle) and Tom Lowery (hamstring) could finally be back in the first-team fold following their recent spells in the treatment room.

Predicted XI: Josh Griffiths, Joe Rafferty, Sean Raggett. Clark Robertson, Connor Ogilvie, Reeco Hackett, Jay Mingi, Joe Morrell, Josh Koroma, Dane Scarlett, Colby Bishop.

Matchday odds (Bet365)

Forest Green: 10/3

1-0 12/1, 2-0 20/1, 2-1 12/1, 3-0 40/1, 3-1 33/1, 3-2 40/1

Pompey: 17/20

1-0 13/2, 2-0 8/1, 2-1 15/2, 3-0 14/1, 3-1 14/1, 3-2 22/1

Draw: 13/5

0-0 9/1, 1-1 11/2, 2-2 12/1, 3-3 40/1.

Officials

Referee: Will Finnie

Assistants: Thomas Harty and Adam RickettsFourth Official: Jack Clench

Key Stats (all competitions)

Forest Green

Record this season: P19 W7 D3 L9

League Position: 21st

Top goalscorer: Connor Wickham (5)

Most Assists: Corey O’Keefe (4)

Discipline: 42 yellows cards, 1 red card

Pompey

Record this season: P15 W8 D5 L3

League Position: 5th

Top goalscorer: Colby Bishop (8)

Most Assists: Michael Jacobs/Marlon Pack/Clark Robertson/Owen Dale (2)

Discipline: 20 yellows cards, 1 red card

Form guide

Forest Green

W 4-1 Exeter (H) – Papa John’s Trophy

D 2-2 Port Vale (A) – League One

L 4-1 Peterborough (A) – League One

W 1-0 Bolton (H) – League One

L 3-2 Burton (A) – League One

Pompey

L 3-0 Charlton (A) – League One

D 1-1 Fleetwood (H) – League One

W 5-0 Aston Villa U21 (H) – EFL Trophy

L 3-2 Ipswich (A) – League One

D 2-2 Plymouth Argyle (H) – League One

Other fixtures

Friday

Ipswich v Derby (8pm)

Saturday (3pm kick-offs unless stated)

Accrington Stanley v Bolton Wanderers, Bristol Rovers v Plymouth Argyle, Burton Albion v Cheltenham Town, Cambridge United v Port Vale, Exeter City v Fleetwood Town, Lincoln City v Sheffield Wednesday, MK Dons v Wycombe Wanderers, Morecambe v Barnsley, Oxford United v Peterborough United, Shrewsbury TownvCharlton Athletic.