John Mousinho makes 'unlucky' Portsmouth claim after Burnley draw and commends 'Schmeichel-esque' James Trafford

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John Mousinho felt his Portsmouth side were “unlucky” not to breach Burnley’s formidable defence and claim a surprise victory.
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The two sides played out a goalless draw at Fratton Park on Saturday as the Clarets lost further ground in the hunt for promotion.

At the other end of the table, Pompey were ultimately happy with the result that helped boost their survival chances, but Mousinho felt his side could easily have bagged all three.

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“We’re probably slightly disappointed to only take a point from the game, given the chances we created,” he said.

“But I’m really happy with the performance against a top side in the league who have such a good defensive record.

“They’ve got the best defence in the country and you could see exactly why – if you do get a chance in the box, then the goalkeeper bails them out.

“We didn’t test James Trafford in the first half, but we did after the break and it was an outstanding save he made from Matt Ritchie – it was Schmeichel-esque the way he spread himself.

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PORTSMOUTH, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 01: John Mousinho, manager of Portsmouth FC, reacts during the Sky Bet Championship match between Portsmouth FC and Burnley FC at Fratton Park on February 01, 2025 in Portsmouth, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)PORTSMOUTH, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 01: John Mousinho, manager of Portsmouth FC, reacts during the Sky Bet Championship match between Portsmouth FC and Burnley FC at Fratton Park on February 01, 2025 in Portsmouth, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
PORTSMOUTH, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 01: John Mousinho, manager of Portsmouth FC, reacts during the Sky Bet Championship match between Portsmouth FC and Burnley FC at Fratton Park on February 01, 2025 in Portsmouth, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

“A lot of the things we did very well and got a bit unlucky, but that’s the way the Burnley’s season has gone and they just don’t concede goals.

“It was the first time our defensive pairing had played together and a first start for Conor Shaughnessy since August, so to perform as well as they did was excellent.

“Building on that display is the important thing for us and something I’ve tried to emphasise with the players.

“We need to take the positives from this kind of game and belief in ourselves a little bit more because it shows we deserve to be at this level.”

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Both sides felt a little aggrieved with the referee, with Connor Roberts fortunate not to receive a second yellow while the Clarets felt they should have had a penalty when Lucas Pires’ shot appeared to be handled.

Mousinho added: “I thought it would have been slightly harsh had their player been sent off, so I can’t really complain about that.

“I’ve seen a wide angle replay of their shot and it’s not a penalty. If it has hit his arm then it’s accidental, although I’m sure we’d have appealed for it if the situation was reversed.”

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