Follow live coverage as Portsmouth face Watford in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Portsmouth FC 1 - 0 Watford FC
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:48Rob Atkinson (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:48Substitution, Portsmouth. Callum Lang replaces Josh Murphy because of an injury.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:48Substitution, Portsmouth. Conor Shaughnessy replaces Regan Poole.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:46Imrân Louza (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:46Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:46Delay in match because of an injury Josh Murphy (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:45Substitution, Watford. Vakoun Bayo replaces Pierre Dwomoh.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:44Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Mattie Pollock.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:44Attempt blocked. Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:44Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:40Delay in match because of an injury Mamadou Doumbia (Watford).
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:38Pierre Dwomoh (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:37Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:37Substitution, Portsmouth. Kusini Yengi replaces Colby Bishop because of an injury.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:37Delay in match because of an injury Colby Bishop (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:37Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:32Delay in match because of an injury Colby Bishop (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:32Attempt saved. Pierre Dwomoh (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Mamadou Doumbia.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:44Attempt blocked. Regan Poole (Portsmouth) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Matt Ritchie with a cross.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:28Imrân Louza (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:27Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:26Substitution, Watford. Jeremy Ngakia replaces Ryan Andrews.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:26Substitution, Watford. James Abankwah replaces Francisco Sierralta.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:26Rob Atkinson (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:25Freddie Potts (Portsmouth) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:25Corner, Watford. Conceded by Regan Poole.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:24Attempt blocked. Pierre Dwomoh (Watford) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Imrân Louza.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:24Attempt missed. Colby Bishop (Portsmouth) header from very close range misses to the right. Assisted by Christian Saydee with a cross.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:24Foul by Connor Ogilvie (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:24Foul by Ryan Andrews (Watford).
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:28Attempt missed. Colby Bishop (Portsmouth) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box following a set piece situation.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:24Attempt saved. Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:22Substitution, Watford. Mattie Pollock replaces Rocco Vata.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:18Kévin Keben (Watford) is shown the red card.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:16Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:16Foul by Kévin Keben (Watford).
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:16Attempt saved. Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:22Attempt blocked. Tom Ince (Watford) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:15Corner, Watford. Conceded by Rob Atkinson.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:15Attempt saved. Colby Bishop (Portsmouth) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Freddie Potts with a cross.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:15Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Kévin Keben.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:13Pierre Dwomoh (Watford) is shown the yellow card.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:13Foul by Isaac Hayden (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:13Substitution, Portsmouth. Terry Devlin replaces Jordan Williams because of an injury.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:13Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:12Delay in match because of an injury Jordan Williams (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:09Attempt missed. Rocco Vata (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box following a fast break.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:11Attempt blocked. Rob Atkinson (Portsmouth) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Matt Ritchie with a cross.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:09Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Egil Selvik.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:09Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Egil Selvik.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:09Attempt saved. Matt Ritchie (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:08Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:08Delay in match because of an injury Pierre Dwomoh (Watford).
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:05Second Half begins Portsmouth 1, Watford 0.
Portsmouth vs Watford
16:05Substitution, Portsmouth. Christian Saydee replaces Adil Aouchiche.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:50First Half ends, Portsmouth 1, Watford 0.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:50Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:50Attempt missed. Pierre Dwomoh (Watford) header from very close range is just a bit too high. Assisted by Imrân Louza with a cross following a corner.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:49Corner, Watford. Conceded by Adil Aouchiche.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:45Adil Aouchiche (Portsmouth) is shown the yellow card.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:44Foul by Regan Poole (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:44Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:44Delay in match because of an injury Mamadou Doumbia (Watford).
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:40Attempt saved. Imrân Louza (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Pierre Dwomoh.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:37Attempt missed. Ryan Andrews (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:34Foul by Caleb Wiley (Watford).
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:33Foul by Freddie Potts (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:33Attempt blocked. Rocco Vata (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:33Foul by Colby Bishop (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:31Attempt saved. Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:30Foul by Regan Poole (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:30Colby Bishop (Portsmouth) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:30Foul by Colby Bishop (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:26Goal! Portsmouth 1, Watford 0. Colby Bishop (Portsmouth) header from very close range.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:27Attempt saved. Colby Bishop (Portsmouth) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:24Foul by Jordan Williams (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:22Attempt missed. Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) left footed shot from outside the box.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:22Attempt saved. Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Caleb Wiley.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:16Isaac Hayden (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:15Foul by Isaac Hayden (Portsmouth).
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:13Offside, Watford. Mamadou Doumbia is caught offside.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:11Rob Atkinson (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:09Attempt blocked. Josh Murphy (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Freddie Potts.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:05Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Egil Selvik.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:05Attempt saved. Matt Ritchie (Portsmouth) header from very close range is saved.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:06Attempt saved. Matt Ritchie (Portsmouth) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Colby Bishop.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:07Attempt missed. Colby Bishop (Portsmouth) header from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Matt Ritchie with a cross.
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:03Foul by Mamadou Doumbia (Watford).
Portsmouth vs Watford
15:01First Half begins.
Portsmouth vs Watford
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Portsmouth vs Watford
13:00Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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