Charlton vs Portsmouth: prediction, head-to-head and probable lineups – 17 February 2026
The rescheduled match of the 19th round of the Championship between Charlton and Portsmouth will take place on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, at The Valley stadium. The game was originally interrupted in December due to a tragic incident involving a fan, and now the teams face off at a critical juncture in their battle for survival.
Match preview
Charlton, led by Nathan Jones, sit in 18th place. The team finally ended their poor run by claiming crucial wins over Leicester (2-0) and Stoke City (1-0). The Addicks are gradually pulling themselves out of crisis, and victory in this rescheduled fixture would allow them to pull clear of the relegation zone by a comfortable margin. Charlton traditionally perform strongly against Portsmouth at home, having avoided defeat in most of their recent head-to-head clashes.
Charlton's squad situation has stabilized, with many players returning from injury. Jones is expected to opt for a 3-1-4-2 formation, focusing on high intensity and physical dominance. For Charlton, this is a chance to consolidate their recent success and secure their safety ahead of a tough trip to Southampton.
Portsmouth find themselves in a much tougher spot, sitting 21st and just one point clear of the drop zone. John Mousinho's side have been dreadful away from home – they've managed just two away wins all season. In their last match (14 February), they narrowly lost to Sheffield United (0-1), showing decent defensive organization but lacking any attacking bite.
The visitors’ injury list is overflowing: in addition to the sidelined Conor Shaughnessy, key defender Aji Alese is now likely out for the season. That’s a huge blow for an already vulnerable backline. Mousinho will have to pin his hopes on the quality of Connor Chaplin and veteran Marlon Pack to snatch points in London. Given the congested schedule and mounting injuries, Portsmouth are likely to employ a cautious, counter-attacking approach in this fixture.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Charlton are unbeaten in their last three matches.
- Charlton have kept three consecutive clean sheets.
- Five of Portsmouth’s last six matches have seen fewer than two goals scored.
- In the last ten head-to-heads, Charlton hold the clear edge: five wins, while Portsmouth have celebrated victory just twice. Three matches ended in draws.
- In the first meeting this season (29 December 2025), Portsmouth won 2-1 at home.
Probable lineups
- Charlton: Kaminski – Ramsay, Jones, Bell – Coady – Clarke, Carey, Docherty, Chambers – Godden, Dykes
- Portsmouth: Schmid – Devlin, Poole, Oglivie, Swanson – Le Roux, Adams, Swift – Brown, Alli, Bishop
Prediction
I believe pragmatism will take center stage in this encounter. Charlton have recently tightened up defensively, while an injury-ravaged Portsmouth are struggling to create anything away from home. Given the importance of this match for both clubs and their historical tendency for low-scoring games at The Valley, don’t expect end-to-end action. My prediction: total under 2.5 goals.
