Leicestershire

Dan George
BBC Sport England at Fratton Park

Image source, Getty Images

Despite the result, it was a gritty performance, at least in the first half, by the majority of the Leicester players in a game that lacked quality and started with both sides looking quite nervous.

Towards the end, as desperation increased, there were moments that turned unsavoury, with Hamza Choudhury clashing with officials and the home fans, while some of the players were also involved in a verbal altercation with opposition players towards the end.

Midfielder Harry Winks was also seen shouting at a fan after the game as he was boarding the team coach.

On the pitch, Leicester had some chances to score and on another day could have taken an early lead when Patson Daka went down from Conor Shaughnessy's challenge that had the away fans calling for a spot-kick.

Daka also had a great chance in the second half when Regan Poole underhit a backpass and if he could have knocked it past Nicolas Schmid then they could have been leaving the south coast with a point.

Despite winning only two league games in 2026 and losing 18 times all season, the Foxes will need to win their remaining three games and hope other results go their way to stand any chance of staying up.

Image source, Shutterstock

Leicester City boss Gary Rowett expressed his frustration at the way his side conceded in their defeat at Portsmouth.

They went behind in the second half and ended up losing the game from a corner, scored by defender Ibane Bowat.

That result leaves the Foxes in real danger of being relegated from the Championship and coupled with West Brom's victory at Preston they are now eight points from safety, with only three games remaining.

"I'm disappointed with the way we conceded the goal to lose the game," Rowett told BBC Radio Leicester

"If you played my last four interviews it would sound very similar to this one, which is deeply frustrating.

"We've made it pretty clear to the players the importance of where we are in the season and what it means to a lot of people at this football club.

"We got into some really good positions but without finding that final third quality, we have to show that and we can't keep not showing it in those moments.

"We tweaked a few things after the break and the frustration is that we've conceded a soft set-piece goal. We chased the game reasonably well and we created some good moments but didn't take them.

"That's been the story of this last 10-11 games for us."

The Foxes host Hull City on Tuesday night at the King Power.

BBC East Midlands Today previews Leicester City's crucial trip to Championship relegation rivals Portsmouth.

It is a must win game for a side that famously won the Premier League title 10 years ago, with defeat at Fratton Park putting the Foxes in danger of dropping into League One by Tuesday.

Leicester boss Gary Rowett said his side "has to fight and have pride" as they attempt to prolong their battle for survival.

Leicester City fans, as well as The Athletic's Rob Tanner, also share their thoughts on the club's astonishing fall in recent years.

You can read more from Rowett and the club's battle to beat the drop here.

Manager Gary Rowett says the "urgency" of Leicester City's fight to avoid relegation is clear to everyone.

The Foxes are five points adrift of safety with four games remaining, and travel to relegation rivals Portsmouth on Saturday.

If beaten at Fratton Park, Leicester City could be relegated as early as Tuesday if results elsewhere also go against them.

"It still comes down to doing the right things in games to win games," he told BBC Radio Leicester.

"We haven't done what we need to do, therefore we are in a position that we don't want to be in. The only thing we can do is concentrate on winning the next game or doing everything you can to win the next game.

"We are running out of games, we know that and we understand the urgency of the situation.

"If other teams around us are winning their games, then good for them because they are doing their job. We can't reply on other people."

You can listen to more of what Rowett had to say to BBC Radio Leicester in the build-up to Saturday's crucial trip to Portsmouth on the latest edition of When You're Smiling podcast.